ISOMETRICS, when done correctly, can reshape a person's

physique and add strength beyond imagination without the

person ever moving a muscle. By powerfully contracting the
muscle in an isolation hold, a person can create lean, perfectly
sculpted muscles, shed fat, and achieve the unmistakable glow
of perpetual youthfulness without ever having to go to a gym
or lift weights or invest in expensive equipment. But the power
ofIsometrics lies in being taught how to do them correctly.

JOHN e.PETERSON is a li fe long fitness expert, the author of Pushing Yourselfto Power,
and coauthor of The Miracle Seven and The Ihnity ofH ealth and Fitness workout
DVD. H e created the Transformetrics'" Training System that maximizes strength
and fitness as well as wellness and is the founder of Bronze Bow Publishing.
 0
o

UIION
author of PlLsliing YOlLrself to Power and The Miracle Seven

BRONZE BOW~ PUBLISHING

 Dedicated to the memory of Isaac Neal Eslinger.
Where we saw great promise, God saw perfection.
January 27,2005 - September 19, 2005

The exercises and advice contained within this book may be too strenuous and
dangerous for some people, and the reader should consult their health practitioner
before engaging in them. The information in this book is for educational purposes
only. Neither the publisher nor author is engaged in rendering professional advice
or services to the individual reader. All matters regarding physical and mental
health should be supervised by a health practitioner knowledgeable in treating
that particular condition. Neither the author nor the publisher shall be liable or
responsible for any loss, injury, or damage allegedly arising from any information
or suggestion in this book.

ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

Copyright © 2007 John E. Peterson

All rights reserved. No part of this publication can be reproduced, stored in a retrievable
system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying,
recording, or otherwise, except by the inclusion of brief quotations in a review, without
prior permission in writing from the publishers.

Most of the photos in the history chapter

are courtesy of Sandow & the Golden Age of Iron Men.

ISBN-l3: 978-1-932458-50-3; ISBN-lO: 1-932458-50-6

Published by Bronze Bow Publishing, Inc.

2600 E. 26th Street, Minneapolis, MN 55406.

You can reach us on the Internet at www.bronzebowpublishing.com

Literary development and cover/interior design by

Koechel Peterson & Associates, Inc., Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Manufactured in the United States of America

TABLE of CONTENTS

CHAPTER ONE
BEGIN with the GOAL in MIND .. . ...... 8

CHAPTER TWO
A CONCISE HISTORY of
ISOMETRIC CON T RAC T ION . . . . .... . . 22

CHAPTER THREE
NUTRITION for HEALTH ,
STRENGTH , & LIFE LONG Vi TA LITy .. . . . .76

CHAPTER FOUR
ISOMETRIC Q&A's . . . .............. . ... 84

CHAPTER FIVE
BLOOD PRESSURE and
ISOMETRIC CONTRACTION .. ... . 104
CHAPTER SIX
THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN ... . ... . 112

CHAPTER SEVEN
CLASSIC ISOMETRICS
for a POWERFUL PHYSIQUE . . .. ... 130

CHAPTER EIGHT
ISOMETRIC POWER FLEXES ..... .214
 NTRODUCT o N

W
ay back in 1963, I was introduced to a
method of exercise that was and is with-
out equal for muscle sculpting, strength
development, and physical rehabilitation. It was a
method of exercise so revolutionary in its time that it
was used and endorsed by professional athletes, trainers,
physical culturists, doctors, and physical therapists
worldwide. It required no weights or equipment and
required only a fraction of the time that was necessary
when using conventional training methods.

4 [ ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

Most important of all, this method of
exercise had been verified scientifically in
hundreds of experiments conducted with
more than 5,000 volunteer test subjects
at the Max Planck Institute in Dortmund,
Germany under the direction of Dr. E. A.
Mueller and Dr. Theodore Hettinger
between 1946 and 1961. The results of
their experiments and research were
astounding. When compared to all other
methods of exercises, in every case this
method of exercise was proven vastly
superior for the acquisition of muscular
strength, and it was also proven to be the
safest. As a result, this method was used
extensively in physical rehabilitation by
medical researchers and therapists on a
worldwide scale.
Intrigued? You should be.
• This is how I described my introduction
• to this incredible method of exercise in
. my second book, The Miracle Seven:
.
• " The first time I saw an Isometric
. Contraction properly performed was
in July 1963, when I was ten years
.
old. It was about a month after my
•
grandfather and Uncle Wally took
. me under their wing and put me on
. the Charles Atlas Dynamic Tension
. Training System. The occasion was
. the annual family reunion, which
. was always a great time. And, of
• course, even though I had only been
training for a month, Uncle Wally
and Grandpa were already telling
everyone about how much muscle I
had built in only 30 days. (Nobody
ever had anyone more affirmative in
their life than my grandfather and
Uncle Wally were for me. They were
like two guardian angels. I hope
some of you men realize what a pro-
found impact you can have in a
boy's life if you just take the time to
notice and affirm them.)
The family reunion was a magical
day. My dad and uncles were just
getting going on their World War II
stories when Uncle Milo showed up.
Milo was the tallest of my uncles-
he was 6'3" and weighed 210 pounds
of the most perfectly sculpted mus-
cle you could possibly imagine. But
somehow he looked different that
day. Now keep in my mind that my
grandfather had put all six of his
INTRODUCTION I5
 sons on the Charles Atlas Training
System as soon as they reached
twelve years of age, if not sooner,
and all the brothers had exceptional
physiques. They all looked like
living, breathing Greek statues.
It was my dad who spoke up. "My
gosh, Milo, what have you been
doing? You look like someone carved
you out of stone."
When I heard Dad say that, I did a
double take. It was true. Uncle Milo's
facial and neck muscles were even
6 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION
more obvious than usual, and his
forearms were sheer cords of muscle.
"Well, AI," said Uncle Milo, "I
started adding Isometrics to my
Dynamic Tension Exercises about
four months ago, and everyone
tells me that they can see a big
difference."
Believe me, you could. Then all my
uncles as well as my grandfather
started talking about Isometrics. As
it turned out, Milo started practicing
Isometrics after he read an article
about President Kennedy practicing
them on the advice of the White
House physicians. Milo reasoned
that an Isometric exercise was really a
Charles Atlas self-resistance exercise
where so much force was applied in
both directions that no movement
occurred because the muscles were
involved in a deadlock wrestling
match against each other for 10
seconds.
"Exactly how do you do that,
Milo?" my uncle Robert asked.
Uncle Milo stood up and took off
his shirt. To this day I have never
seen a more perfectly developed
man. I've seen lots of guys with big-
ger arms, bigger chests, and bigger
legs, but I've never seen one more
perfectly put together than my
uncle. In fact, if you've ever seen
the physique of the actor Woody
Strode, you know precisely what
my uncle Milo looked like.
 Well, Milo did a few self-resist-
ance Atlas biceps exercises to warm
his muscles up and then on the
fourth rep, halfway up he per-
formed an Isometric Contraction.
With all his might, his left arm was
pushing down while his right arm
was pulling up. For 10 seconds his
muscles looked as though they
were involved in a life-or-death
struggle. Far more than just a
biceps Isometric Contraction, it
appeared as though every muscle
in his entire body was flexed to its
absolute limit. Literally, every mus-
cle fiber in his neck, pectorals,
arms, abs, and back stood out in
bold relief. It was an incredible
demonstration of how to perform
an Isometric Contraction correctly.
When Uncle Milo finished, my
grandfather said, "That's how the
strongman Zass trained. Same kind
of exercises I read about years ago
in Physical Culture, but I'd never
actually seen it done until now."
Seriously, if you had seen my uncle
perform that Isometric Contraction
on that day, you'd never wonder
whether or not Isometric Contraction
is a valuable form of exercise. No,
instead you'd be standing in line
to buy the course and learn how to
do it. "
• And that, my friend, leads us to this book,
Isometric Power Revolution . Why? Because
this book IS that course my uncle Milo
should have written back in 1963. I hope
you enjoy it.
John E. Peterson, January 2007
INTRODUCTION I 7
~ ____________________ ____ c ~ r I ER

The Master Key to Success With Isometric

Contraction and Everything Else in Life

YOU'RE GOING TO GET IT!

And you're going to win.
GUARANTEED.
 BEGIN wit h the GOAL In MIN D
The Moster Key to Success With Isometric
Contraction and Everything Else In Life

Y
our success with our Isometric Power program
is predicated on following the instructions
presented in this book to the letter. A failure to
heed or comprehend this introductory information or
to think that it is unessential fluff or that you already
know it is almost certain to short-circuit the program's
effectiveness. The Master Key to Isometric Contraction,
perhaps more than any other exercise program, begins
with the most important exercise in existence, and
about which most people are completely ignorant.

10 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

That Master Key is:
I. Programming the right
thoughts into your mind.
2. Focusing on them.
3. Actualizing them by following
through.
Think about it: you would not have
invested in this Isometric Power course if
you weren't influenced by the thoughts
you were consciously thinking at the time
you bought it. Likewise, you will not take
action to give yourself the supreme state
of health, strength, and lifelong fitness
that you desire and deserve, unless you
begin with the goal, the end result, clearly
defined in your mind. Don't try to prove
me wrong on this pOint by underestimat-
ing the power of your mind, as you'll only
end up shortchanging yourself.
Let's be real. Most people think that
strength and fitness success is nothing
more than a combination of knowing
the right exercises and eating the right
foods. Although that is definitely part of
the route to success, the truth is that you
cannot get the results you want, much
less stick with the right exercises and
nutrition program, unless your mind is
programmed properly.
Take a look around, my friend. There are
hundreds of thousands of people who
pay expensive gym memberships, exer-
cise and diet year after year, and they
are still overweight and lacking in muscle The keys to achieving this Transformation
definition. They go through the motions,
but they don't get anywhere. Why is · repels failure in all facets of your life are
that? Because they don't understand the
• life-changing power that God has placed
· within them. Even worse, when intro-
• duced to it, they flat out reject it. They
• are literally afraid to take control of their
· own thinking mechanism. Truth to tell,
· these people fear that any attempt
• to harness their
mind will back-
fire. Instead of
boldly living the
life of their dreams,
• they timidly settle
. for whatever life
• hands them. They
• want someone else
to give them the
. answers, and that,
. my friend, is not
: only sad, it's living
. by default.
This is not the way of the Transformed
• life, and it continually is not the way of
. any Transformetrics™ student or practi-
. tioner. You, and you alone, will determine
• what you want in life-and you alone,
with faith, courage, and perseverance, will
make up your mind that nothing will
prevent you from reaching your goal.
You're going to get it! And you're going to
win. Guaranteed.
YOU'RE GOINGTO GET IT!
And you're going to win.
GUARANTEED.
in consciousness that attracts success and
not difficult to learn. And they don't
BEGIN WITH THE GOAL IN MIND I 11
 require a lot of time. Just follow my step- life begins the exact same way. First, you
by-step instructions, and you will be on establish order through mentally pictur-
the fast track to success in no time flat. ing what it is that you want to achieve.
• Then you add power, life, vitality, radi-
ISOMETRIC POWER BREATHING ance, and passion to the mental image
Let's start with Isometric Power Breathing. • by breathing life into it.
Why Isometric Power Breathing? Here are
three reasons:
I. Breath is the source of life.
Breath is power. Breath is life.
2. Deep breathing calms, centers,
and focuses the mind so that
you can better comprehend
what you're about to learn in
the following chapters.
3. Deep breathing puts you into
an awakened state of awareness .
in which you not only think
clearly but realize that you can
create the life you have
dreamed of living. • The good news is that this process isn't diffi-
Whether or not you are a Bible-believing • cult to learn. Not only that, but the deep
Christian, if you will just take a moment to • breathing method you're about to learn will
read the creation story as found in the first • simultaneously accomplish a number of
two chapters of the Book of Genesis, you • things that I know you will be excited about.
will find something fascina ting. First of all, • Instead of telling you exactly what they are
whenever God created something, it states • in advance, let's go over the exercise.
clearly that He pictured it in His mind first.
Second, after God created the first man, • HOWTO PERFORM ISOMETRIC
the man did not come to life until... POWER BREATHING:
I. In the morning, before arising
"And the LORD God formed man of the dust of I • from your bed, lie on our back
the ground , and breathed into his nostrils the and relax with your hands at
breath of life: and man became a living soul"
your sides.
(Genesis 2:7 KJV, emphasis mine). 2. Inhale deeply through your nos-
trils and imagine that you are
I'm telling you this because the whole
filling your entire body right
key to making miracles happen in your
down to your toes with

12 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

 enriched oxygen. Literally, let
yourself expand.
3. Once you can inhale no farther,
hold for a count of 7 seconds,
while pulling in your abdominal
muscles, then begin to exhale.
4. During the exhale, squeeze
your abdominal muscles as
though you are wringing water
from a wet towel. Squeeze the
entire rectus abdominus from
top to bottom as tightly as
possible, while making an
IISSSSS " or "fffff" sound.
s. When you have achieved peak
intensity or contraction of the
abdominals, hold for 7 or more
seconds, squeezing until your
exhale is completely finished .
leave nothing in your lungs.
Try to get everything out.
6. While performing step 5, it is
a healthy practice to contract
or pull your perineum up and
inward. This will not only
improve your overall energy,
but greatly improve sexual
function as well .
7. Perform this Isometric Power
Breathing exercise 10 times in
succession before getting out of
bed. You are then welcome to
get up, stand before an open
window, and do more of the
same. You can also do this
exercise anytime throughout
the day to release mental stress
and to recharge and energize
yourself. Just remember to con-
sciously flex your abdominals
when performing this exercise.
• Now that you have read the instructions,
• put the book down and take a few min-
utes to perform this breathing technique
10 times. In order to get you fired up and
motivated about this, and just in case you
• missed some of the benefits in the steps
• outlined above, here is a recap of the
many benefits of practicing this breathing
technique:
• Increases mental clarity and
alertness.
• Enhances creative and mental
power.
• Rids your entire body and mind
of negative stress.
• Strengthens, tightens, and
tones the diaphragm and
entire abdominal muscle struc-
ture. Some people lose inches
of fat from their abdomens.
• Improves digestion and
elimination.
• Cleans the lungs of stale
residue.
• Helps you relax.
• Improves dynamic strength and
power due to strengthening of
core muscles.
All these benefits come from just one set
of Isometric Power Breathing exercises.
Enough said. So get to it and complete 10
repetitions. Feel for yourself just how pow-
erful Isometric Power Breathing truly is.
BEGIN WITH THE GOAL IN MIND I 13
 Okay, great. Once you've completed
your set of 10 power breaths, you will
be feeling energized, and, simply put, • understand, and it is the mental tool you
you should feel good all over. That good
feeling is the Go lden Key to success in • desire might be for a powerful, perfectly
life, especially when you learn to har-
ness it and combine it with the mental
programming techniques that you will
learn here.
MORE THAN JUST THINKING
The bottom line is that we don't just
become what we think abou t, as King
Solomon said, "As a man thinketh in his
heart, so is he. We become what
JJ
we think about with deep,
vivid emotion. To merely
think a thought does not
give it transformative
power. But to think a
thought backed by an
abundance of passion,
enthusiasm, and posi-
tive, life-affirming emo-
tion puts it into the realm
of the extraordinary. And
when that happens, it's "look
out world, JJ because here you come.
• Eslinger, Mark Baldwin, Chris Rezny,
Note: we think in pictures. For example, • and our other friends featured within
think of your children or spouse. What
comes to mind? A picture, right? Now
think of your home, your car, your televi-
sion, your favorite restaurant, your church,
and so on. What do you see in your mind's
eye? One picture after another, correct?
Remember that. Our thoughts are pictures.
Our thoughts are literally what we envision.
And what does envision mean? It means to
14 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION
see the outcome as reality before it happens,
in our mind's eye. This is crucial for you to
need to achieve your greatest desire. That
sculpted body and radiant health, or it can
be for anything else you want to create in
your life.
Since this is a book about how to give
yourself radiant health, strength, and the
kind of body you have always dreamed of
having, I want you to form a mental piC-
ture of the kind of fitness and type of
physique you want to have. Do
you want to dramatically
enhance the size of your
muscles? Or do you want
to achieve a lithe, lean,
ripped look of a gym-
nast? Or something
in between. Whatever
your choice, it can
be achieved with the
Isometric Power meth-
ods outlined in this book.
Not so sure about that? Take
a look at the photos of Dr. Neal
the pages of this book. They all
achieved their dreams by following the
methods outlined here and modifying
them to fit their own personal goals,
and you can too!
In one sense, this is no different from
other forms of bodybuilding. Some people
train to get huge, and others to get lean.
But what most people erroneollsly assume
is that they achieve their goals merely by clearly communicates the power of our
the choice of physical exercise itself. Truth thoughts to create our reality.
to tell, you don't! For instance, you could
In an article published in 1957 by psy-
practice all the classic power lifts or
• chologist Bruno Klopfer in The Journal of
Olympic lifts and not gain an ounce of
Prospective Techniques, a man named Mr.
weight. It's done all the time.
Wright suffered from advanced lymphatic
So what then is the Golden Key to gaining • cancer. His lymph nodes were swollen to
muscle and losing fat with an exercise the size of oranges, and both his spleen
program? Simply put, the key is your • and liver were so enlarged that two quarts
intention. What is it you want? What do of milky fluid had to be drained from
you see in your mind's eye? Cmon, piC- them daily. The doctors had done every-
ture it. Tell your muscles how you want thing medically possible in the mid 1950s
them to respond to the exercises, and on Mr. Wright's behalf, and there was
they will obey. • nothing more they could do. So they gave
him up to die.
Your flesh has an intelligence (you'll read
all about it in the history section), and it Somehow Mr. Wright heard of a new
simply sits back and waits for you to give experimental drug for cancer. But it was
it orders. Once the orders are given and • only being administered to people whom
systematically applied, every cell in your • doctors believed had at least a three-
body goes to work to shape your body the month life expectancy.
way you want it. Wright begged his
• doctor for the drug,
THE POWER OF YOUR THOUGHTS and finally the doctor
For this reason, it is imperative that you relented. According to
never ever ... not under any circumstances the report, the doctor
... allow yourself to think or say anything injected him on Friday
about yourself that you do not wish to be but really didn't expect
absolutely true. That's how powerful your him to live through
thoughts and mental imagery are. the weekend. Unbeliev-
We know that it is possible for some people ably, on the following
who are sick to make themselves well by Monday, less than 72 hours later, Wright
choosing the right thoughts to think. We was walking around and feeling great. The
also know from medical science that the • tumors, according to the article, had
exact opposite can happen by thinking • melted like snowballs on a hot stove."
/I

negatively. It happens every day in every • Ten days after his first Krebiozen injec-
city throughout the world. Consider the • tion, Mr. Wright went home from the
following true case history that I shared in hospital, being determined by the doctors
my first book, Pushing Yourself to Power. It • to be cancer free!

BEGIN WITH THE GOAL IN MIND I 15

 Unfortunately, months later the American that reason alone, you must guard your
Medical Association published a nation- thoughts, your speech, and all of your
wide study on Krebiozen that flatly associations. If you surround yourself
announced it was worthless. Mr. Wright with positive reinforcement in what you
read the study, believed it, and his cancer • see, hear, think, and verbalize, and if you
returned. Two days later he died. follow through with positive action-you
• will meet with a positive outcome. It is
So what happened to
inevitable!
Mr. Wright? Why
did he become YOU MUST BELIEVE
wrong? Let's • Do you get the point? Your mind, your
. it
examme beliefs, your faith, all determine what you
objectively. can have or be. If you don't believe you can
Mr. Wright, have or be something, you won't.
who is ter-
minaI, hears
about a new
miracle cure for
cancer. He reasons
to himself that the
reason he has not already died
is because it is his destiny to be cured of
cancer and Krebiozen is the agent of that
cure. He begs his doctor to go outside the
rule and inject him . Then Mr. Wright 's
intellect and emotions, his mind, believes
that the miraculous cure has been found,
and as a result his body obeys the single
congruent message that it is given by Mr.
Wright's mind, which is-HEAL! And his
body has no other choice but to obey! This applies to your strength and fitness
as much as it does to any other facet of
Just think what would have happened your life. Dr. Neal Eslinger, whom you see
had Mr. Wright not read the study that • pictured throughout the Iso Powerflex
negated his positive belief. Who knows • section of this course wanted to accom-
how long he could have lived? The simple plish two things simultaneously. He wanted
point is this: whatever you believe about to get ripped and lean while adding mus-
yourself, both intellectually and emotion- cle mass. Look at his before and after
ally, will determine who and what you photos (on page 13S)-same man in both
become physically and spiritually. For • photos. The fact that he simultaneously

16 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTI ON

achieved the lithe, ripped look while . the mental image. Then, after you have
adding greatly to his muscle mass is
mind-boggling for most people. How did
he do it?
First and foremost, he wanted to do so.
Second, by forming a clear picture in his
mind's eye of exactly what he wanted to
achieve and thinking about it all the time.
Third, by holding the exact image in mind
while he trained. It's as simple as that.
The unrevealed secret that most people
never discover is not just picturing what
they want, but picturing it with passion
and conviction. Put some white heat
behind your desire, and you cannot help
but go in the direction of your dreams.
This is a universal law. Whatever domi-
nates your thoughts and passions is what
you become. Guaranteed.
HOW TO APPLY POSITIVE
EMOTION TO YOUR GOAL
It's very simple to learn to use your emo-
tions to help reach your goals.
To demonstrate this, I want you to use
Isometric Power Breathing. First, perform
your standard 10 Isometric Power Breaths,
concentrating on your abdominal mus-
cles as you did previously. Next, before
starting your next set of Isometric Power
Breaths, I want you to consciously form a
mental picture in your mind's eye of what
you want to achieve while inhaling. Quite
literally, I want you to surround this men-
tal image with breath. Instead of focusing
on your abdominal muscles, focus on the
mental imagery and add self-talk to it as
you squeeze (add passion and emotion) to
completed your inhale, begin your
exhale. But instead of just breathing out,
maintain a laser-like focus surrounding
your mental image with the emotion-
backed energy. Literally, exhale and
breathe life into the image, surrounding it
with power. Do it 10 times.
Understand that there is a reason why the
great sages of all times throughout history
. practiced deep breathing exercises while
in prayer and meditation. And the same
can be done before anything creative is
. attempted. Whether painting, drawing,
. writing, singing, or public speaking,
: breathe deep to center yourself and take
. control. It all starts with your breath.
Think back to the
creation story as
told in the Book of
. Genesis. Remember
the key that I men-
tioned earlier? God
breathed life into
Adam. Whether or
not you personally believe the biblical
. account of creation is not my pOint. My
point is that the process of creation as
described in Genesis is exactly what you
want to use in your life. Always remember
that you are not just a man or a woman-
• you are a human being created in the very
likeness of God with a divine thought
and creative ability that is literally
molded after God. Consider this: if man
was created in the image and likeness
. of God, and God is the Preeminent
: Creator, then it makes perfect sense that
BEGIN WITH THE GOAL IN MIND I 17
 man is also intended to be a creator...and
is at his happiest and most God-like when
he too is creating.
This is why clearly defined goals are so
important. We are happiest when we are
creating. We are less than happy, if not
downright miserable, when we are not
creating. So form a goal and add life to it
through Isometric Power Breathing and
visualization. Begin and end every work-
out with deep Isometric Power Breathing.
Never begin a creative endeavor of any
sort without taking a few minutes to
perform 10 Isometric Power Breaths.
Will it change the outcome? Big time.
guess what you are creating? You got it.
MORE of what you DON'T want.
So does that mean that you are doomed
to a life of mediocrity and unfulfilled
dreams? Only if you blow this off and
don't take positive action . It's only too
late if you don't start now!
Seriously, my friend, there is a way out
of any bottomless pit of despair.
So let me guide you with a
brief writing exercise that

SOAR LIKE AN EAGLE

Before you close this chapter, you
must perform a couple of written
exercises that are vitally important
to your personal success. Do Not
Overlook These . If you want to soar
like an eagle, play close attention and
follow through. could
change
Many people, in fact most people, your life .
when asked to define what it is they want
But before you
in life literally draw a blank. They can't
make a list of what
clearly articulate what they want because
. you want, I want you to make a list of
their minds have been so preoccupied
everything you despise and don't want.
with what they don't want for so long
that it appears that there is nothing else Take out a pad of paper and a pen and
for them. write this headline across the top of the
page: Things I Don't Want and That I Will
So what can we do? We already know that
Eliminate From My Life.
we become what we habitually think
about with deep emotion. And so, if you Now, beneath this headline start writing
can't even think about what you want those things that come to your mind. Don't
because you have so much thought and worry about perfect grammar. Just list
energy invested in what you don't want, • everything in your life that you consider a

18 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

source of personal embarrassment or self-
sabotage. For example:
• I don't want to be fat.
• I don't want to be weak.
• I don't want to be out of
breath from walking up a
flight of stairs.
• I don't want any more back
pain.
• I don't want these headaches.
• I don't want to buy clothes at
Huge and Huger.
• I don't want women or men to
look away when they see me.
• I don't want to be passed over
in job promotions by fitter
people. (Don't kid yourself, it
happens all the time.)
• I don't want my children to be
ashamed to be seen with me.
• I don't want to be afraid to be
seen in a swimsuit.
• I don't want to be afraid to
train in public.
Get the idea? Good. Then get to it. Do it .
now before you do anything else.
The only rule concerning what you write •
is that it must be something you want to
change. So please. Do it now. Don't move .
until you've done this . Put your pen to
the paper and write out everything that
has held you back and that you want to
eliminate from your life. If you run out of
space, get another piece of paper and keep
writing. After all, it's your life that you're .
going to heal.
Congratulations! It takes guts to face your-
self and tell yourself the truth about what
· you are no longer willing to accept
· because you know in your heart of hearts
that God created you for so much more.
SO WHAT DO YOU WANT IN LIFE?
Now that you have identified what you
don't want, your mind will be clear and
uncl uttered. That being true, right now is
also the time to identify what you do
· want in life. So let's get to it.
· Keep in mind that you can write anything
on this list that you want. It doesn't all
have to be strength and fitness related.
But then again, the stronger, fitter, more
vibrant, and self-confident you are, the
easier it will be to have every other good
thing on your list.
So here's what you do. On a clean sheet of
· paper, write the headline: The Good Things
• That I Want to Create in My Life. You'll
want to list at least 10 things that you
want to achieve within the next 12
months . For example, your list may
include some of the following:
• I want to double my st rength.
• I want to see my abdominal
muscles in the mirror.
• I want my kids to be proud
to be seen with me .
• I want to have all my pants
taken in at the waistline.
• I want people to compliment
me on my new physique.
• I want my boss and business
associates to view me as
BEGIN WITH THE GOAL IN MIND I 19
 someone with guts, determina- confidence quickly. Once you know that
tion, and a get it done-no you can focus on a goal and make it
excuses drive that deserves a happen, your creative power will grow by
big promotion. leaps and bounds, and you will gain the
• I want to buy $100 worth of confidence to achieve bigger and bigger
Girl Scout cookies to give to the goals at faster and faster rates.
food shelf in my community. So this is what you do. Select one goal that
• I want to attract the perfect you will focus on. Write it on a 3" X 5"
mate in my life. card and give it a deadline for accomplish-
• I want to double my current ment. For example, you might write the
income. following:
Okay, you know what to do, so do it. "By , exactly 31 days from now, I
Don't be afraid to dream big because will do 50 consecutive Tiger Stretch Push-
small dreams have no power. After all, at • ups in flawless form." Or it can be anything
this point you deserve all the best that life else that you want.
has to offer. So do it now.
• Now, each day when you awake, focus on
Great job! this goal during your deep breathing exer-
Now that you have identified what you • cises. Perform 10 Isometric Power Breaths
want, you can always go back and add while focusing on your abdominals and
precise details . The more clear and applying Isometric Contraction on both
vivid the details the better the result. • inhalation and exhalation. Then do another
The key, however, is to take the time to • 10, focusing entirely on your goal as previ-
identify what you want and put it : ously directed. Put paSSion, enthusiasm,
down on paper. • and determination into it, and breathe life
into the image in your mind's eye.
CHOOSING ONE GOAL Next, carry the 3" X 5" card with you every-
After you have completed your two lists,
where you go. Make it easily accessible-
it's time to focus on just one goal. This
put it in your front pocket, your wallet,
goal needs to be something that is achiev-
tape it to the refrigerator, or wherever. Take
able within the next 30 days. In fact, it
it out and read it several times a day with
may even be something you achieve in
deep conviction.
just 7 days. If you don't have a short-term
goal, then take a few minutes and come Then when you do your exercises, visual-
up with one. It's crucial that you do it. ize achieving your goal. Notice the laser-
Why? Because I want you to prove to like focus that you now have and how
yourself that you can set goals and much harder you train. Most importantly,
achieve them. Doing so will build personal notice how quickly you improve!

20 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

While you train, tell yourself, "I can. into your life, you can achieve goals that
I will. I can. I will." are beyond your wildest dreams . Without
Then add the ending to it, "I can and I . it, you can achieve very little. Why?
will do 50 consecutive Tiger Stretch Push- • Because you need to know where you are
ups by " • going in order to get there. And that
applies to every facet of your life, includ-
After you have achieved your goal, I want . ing your strength and fitness.
you to say out loud, "I can. I will. And I've .
done 50 consecutive Tiger Stretch Push- . In my opinion, this first chapter is the
ups." At this pOint, write the accomplish- most important of all. Why? Because
ment and date of completion on your . anyone can teach you Isometric exercises.
goal card and save it. It is important that Anyone can teach a diet to follow. But the
you begin a collection of completed goal whole key that makes any of it work lies
cards, because in the future it will reinforce within you. When you control your
your ability to get things done when you . thoughts, you control your life. And,
review them. truth to tell, your ability to think and
persevere is the key to achieving superior
BEYOND YOUR WILDEST DREAMS results with Isometric Contraction or
What I have just revealed is the Master
anything else in your life.
Key to achieving anything you want in
your life. You could join the vast hosts of Now that you know the secret, let me fill
people who spend thousands of dollars you in on "The History of Isometric
attending personal empowerment semi- Contraction," and why I believe it is
nars to learn what I have just revealed to singularly the Master method to lifelong
you. If you implement this Master Key . strength and fitness. Read on.

BEGIN WITH THE GOAL IN MIND I 21

"What has been will be again, what
has been done will be done again;
there is nothing new under the sun."
- Ecclesiastes 1:9
 o CONCISE HISTORY of
ISOMETRIC CONTRACTION

S
ince ancient times, mankind has been
fascinated with the acquisition and develop-
ment of exceptional physical strength. After
all, who hasn't heard of the renowned biblical heroes
Samson and King David? Or the Greek hero Hercules?
Or King Odysseus, the famed Greek hero of Homer's
The Odyssey?

All of these men were known for their extraordinary

strength, intellect, and courage. And if you read their
stories closely, you'll discover that King David, Hercules, and

24 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

King Odysseus all had one thing in com-
mon-their ability to both string and pull
to full draw a bow made of bronze. Twice in
the Bible, for instance, King David states:
"He trains my hands for war, so that my
arms can bend a bow of bronze" (Psalm
18:34; 2 Samuel 22:35). Notice that David
was trained and strengthened in this feat
of strength. But that's not the only time a
bronze bow was referred to in antiquity.
A replica of the "bow of bronze"
In fact, if you read The Odyssey, you'll find
that the Bronze Bow of Hercules plays a
central role (almost a character-like role : ing the accounts of any number of
within the story) in King Odysseus's
reclaiming his wife and kingdom of Ithaca
from suitors who are trying to steal his • history) and his anecdotal History, which
kingdom. At the climax of the story,
Odysseus proves that he, and he alone,
can string and pull to full draw the Bow of .
Hercules and send an arrow through 12 .
small consecutively placed brass rings
without touching any of them. This is
precisely what he had done some 20 years
earlier on the day he won the hand of his
wife, Penelope, in marriage by proving
himself to be the best man physically as
well as intellectually. After the sheer preci-
sion with the rings, King Odysseus uses
his archery skills to fend off the suitors.
. Similar to King David, Odysseus did not
. just pick up Hercules' Bronze Bow and
• pull it to full draw. Hercules had befriended
. the young Odysseus when they were
• sailing together as crew members with
. Jason and the Argonauts on the ship Argo
. to discover the fabled Golden Fleece at
• the edge of the world. According to the
. story, Hercules taught the secrets of
strength to Odysseus. His training was so
· effective that, besides Hercules, only
· young Odysseus could string and pull to
· full draw an arrow on the famed Bronze
· Bow of Hercules. That's all I'm going to
· tell you about it. If you want to know
• more ... and there is more ...read the stories
· of David and Odysseus for yourself and
strengthen your mind.
· So what does a bronze bow have to do
• with Isometrics in a chapter devoted to
the histories of Isometric Contraction?
• Good question. The answer lies in read-
· historians of the ancient past, such as
· Herodotus (often known as the father of
includes a description of the war between
• the Greeks and Persians in the fifth century
B.C., or Josephus and his Antiquities of the
• Jews, or Plutarch's Parallel Lives from the
· first century. In their writings, you will
discover that archers were considered to
be the elite special forces of their day
and among the strongest and fittest of
ancient warriors.
So how did archers achieve this status?
Well, consider the fact that many of the
battles of ancient history were determined
A CONCISE HISTORY OF ISOMETRIC CONTRACTION I 25
 by the army that had the strongest and
most accurate archers. For instance, if one
army's archers were capable of picking off
their enemy's soldiers at a distance 200
yards farther away than the enemy's
archers, it gave that army a decided
advantage. Consequently, it was the
archers alone who oftentimes determined
the outcome of a major battle in ancient
times. Such was the case at the Battle
of Marathon in 490 B.C., where the
heavily outnumbered Greeks defeated the
Persians. This was also the case in the bat-
tle between the Syrians and the Israelites
as recorded in 1 Kings 22:29 in the Bible.
Here a Syrian archer determined the
outcome of the battle when he killed King
Ahab of Israel.
hold an arrow at full draw, sometimes for
extended periods of time.
This is where Isometric Contraction comes
into place. The ancient trainers would
have a trainee pull back the strongest bow
. of which he was capable and then hold
it-an Isometric Contraction. The trainee
would continue this practice until he
could finally draw the arrow to full draw
with ease. At this point, the trainee would
graduate to a heavier bow and draw it back
. as far as he possibly could and once again
. hold it in an Isometric Contraction. When
. he could draw it back with ease, the archer
graduated to an even heavier bow and
continued the strengthening process by
reapplying Isometric Contraction. This
training process was continued until each
archer achieved the ability to draw the
strongest of bows, a process that often
required years, and Isometric Contraction
was the key.

INDIA AND THE ORIENT

In a very real sense, Isometric Contraction
A close-lip of a bronze bow and arrow
is among the oldest of exercise methods
The importance of ancient archers relates . known to man. It has been a part of hatha
to the history of Isometric Contraction as yoga (the physical branch of the popular
several ancient historians, and especially form of yoga that most Westerners are
Herodotus, commented on the training of familiar with) for almost 5,000 years . It
the archers. This is how it was done. First, has developed primarily in southern India
there was a selection process to determine by ascetics who led very disciplined lives.
which individuals had the innate skills to . They lived close to the earth and observed
become a first-class archer. This included . nature, animals, and themselves. These
tests of hand/eye coordination, eagle-like • ascetics would imitate many of the
Sight, and uncanny depth perception. The animals they observed-their postures
other critical attribute was superb physical and habits-in order to emulate their
strength, as demonstrated in the ability to . strength, grace, and wisdom.

26 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

From this intense study, hath a yoga devel- you are doing when hoLding yoga poses
oped into a complex series of postures . such as the one pictured here. (If, for any
and poses (well over 1,000 in all) called
"asanas" that require incredible levels of
strength, fleXibility, muscular endurance, . then put the book down and try to hold
balance, coordination, deep synchronized . the pose shown for 3 minutes. If by some
meditative breathing, and an intense
mind/muscle connection.
As an example, study the pose shown in
the photo above. Now, imagine yourself
trying to hold this pose for 3 minutes
without shaking or quivering. What type
of strength would you need to develop in
order to hold that pose in picture-perfect
alignment? In a word: Isometric. Let me
explain why. The word Isometric comes
from the Greek (what else would you
expect?) word iso, meaning "the same,"
and metric, meaning "length." Isometric
Contraction refers, therefore, to the con-
traction or tightening of a muscle without
changing its length, which is exactly what
reason, you don't think this requires
incredible concentration and strength,
miracle you can hold it, please tell me
why you bought this book.)
As is clearly evident, it is Isometric
Contraction alone that allows you to
maintain these postures by stabilizing the
entire muscle structure. Is it tough? You bet
it is, but you wouldn't be developing the
epitome of strength and poise if it weren't.
ISOMETRICS IN THE ORIENT
· Somewhere between A.D. 500 and 527,
· legendary Buddhist Master Bodhidharma
traveled from India to China to bring
Chan Buddhism to the monks of the
Shaolin Temple. He was said to be an extra-
ordinary man in every sense of the word,
and one of the strongest, fittest, and wis-
est men to have ever lived . Traveling by
· foot and alone, he crossed raging streams
and rivers, a major part of the Himalayan
mountain chain, and braved extremes of
temperature ranging from tropical rain-
forest heat to subzero cold in some of the
tallest mountains on planet earth.
.
As if that were not enough of a test of his
fortitude, Bodhidharma also exposed
himself to the dangers posed by wild ani-
mals and mountain bandits. In other
. words, this was not a trip you'd want to
• take without a group of guardian angels
watching your every move . Yet, this is
exactly what the missionary of Chan
. Buddhism took upon himself to do.
A CONCISE HISTORY OF ISOMETRIC CONTRACTION I 27
 Upon his arrival at the original Shaolin had a very strong Isometric component
Temple on Mount Song in northern in them. In fact, it is believed that the
China's Henan Province, Bodhidharma ((I Chin Ching(( or ((Yi Jin Jing" or Muscle/
did not find a group of ((Kwai Chang . Tendon Changing Classic was one of the
Caine" look-a-likes from the TV series original forms taught by Bodhidharma
Kung Fu, who could ((snatch a pebble from himself. This form includes the use of deep
my hand" as young Grasshopper would breathing exercises, which should be a part
often attempt to do with the blind of every strength and conditioning pro-
Shaolin monk ((Master Po." Nor did he • gram, combined with Isometric muscle con-
find anyone who even remotely resem - tractions of the hands and arms. Amazingly,
bled the perfectly sculpted supermen of this Isometric form was and is so effective
the Shaolin monk movies that it has remained virtu-
that so many of us have ally unchanged for approx-
seen, featuring the likes of imately 1,500 years.
Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, or
Jet Li. No, the guys whom In addition to the Iso-
he found were so fat and metric forms of Bodhid-
out of shape they couldn't harma, there are also
even stay awake for the numerous dance-like katas
rigors of prayer and medi- or forms found in other
tation that he was to teach Asian martial arts that
them. include various Isometric
postures that are often
So the first thing he did held for extended periods
was to leave the temple of time just as in hatha
and spend the next nine yoga from which they
years meditating in a cave . . originate. Some of these
in order to figure out what Only Isometrics can develop the tel/don strength . ((
in the fingers for this incredible feat of strength. postures include the Iron
to do. When he returned, Wire" form of hung gar
he used his skills as a yoga master to teach
kung fu and sanchin kata of Okinawan
the monks a series of special exercises of
martial arts systems. Of course, there are
his own creation that are still practiced in . different names used in the various mar-
martial arts training systems to this very tial art forms that reflect the countries
day. And what were these special strength-
and cultures from which they originate,
ening exercises that transformed the
but ultimately it all boils down to the
sheepish monks of the Shaolin monastery .
same concepts of holding deep stances
into the Warrior Monks of Legend (as they
against the pull of gravity for long periods
came to be known) whom nobody in their
. of time and using ultra-high tension
right mind wanted to mess with?
strength building techniques that are
Believe it or not, they were exercises that Isometric in nature.

28 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

ISOMETRICS IN WARFARE
As you can imagine, Isometric Con-
traction as a strength training method has
also been utilized in just about every
culture throughout the centuries. For
instance, the chariot racers of ancient
Rome pulled against the reins of their
horses for extended periods of time,
which is a powerful Isometric Con-
traction. As you might imagine, the
charioteers were incredibly strong men.
Russiall Cossack horsemen
The same is also true for mounted cavalry.
The French army led by Napoleon
Bonaparte was literally vanquished by
Russian Cossack horsemen who were
capable of doing amazing feats at a full
gallop . Consider that when Napoleon • 40,000 survivors of Napoleon's Grand
marched into Moscow in 1812, he had
465,000 troops. The Cossacks were a mere
fraction of that number. And though the
Cossacks refused to engage Napoleon's
army on the open field of battle, they
nonetheless earned both the respect and
. fear of the surviving French soldiers.
. According to the historians' accounts of
. the experiences of the soldiers who sur-
vived Napoleon's retreat, the Cossacks
would attack at all hours of the day and
. night. Their favorite targets were supply
wagons and artillery batteries, often
jumping tremendous barriers on horse-
back and lopping off the heads of the
enemy without breaking stride.
The Cossacks were similar to the Mongol
horsemen of Genghis Khan (five centuries
• earlier), who were capable of shooting large
numbers of arrows at full gallop. The
Cossacks appeared to move with their
horses as though rider and horse were one
being. Their athleticism on horseback was
something to behold. Even the French sol-
diers couldn't help but admire it. In reality,
it was because of the superior strength and
conditioning of the leg muscles that they
• had developed that allowed the Cossacks
· to perform these astounding feats.
So what type of strength do you suppose
will keep you in the saddle or on horse-
back under virtually any conditions? You
got it. Isometrics.
As an interesting matter of historical fact,
the Cossacks chased Napoleon's forces all
the way to the gates of Paris. Less than
Army (La Grande Armee) of 465,000 men
A CONCISE HISTORY OF ISOMETRIC CONTRAcnON I 29
 lived to tell about the retreat from
Moscow, and in 1814 the Cossacks were
present in Paris when Napoleon was
forced to abdicate and unconditionally . escape from the Chateau d'If. It is here
surrender and was subsequently exiled to
the Italian island of Elba. To this very day,
there is one surviving Cossack word that
remains a part of the French language-
bistro. Today it means" a bar or roadside
restaurant," but back in 1814 it was used
by the Cossacks when they put their
rubles down on the bar and said, "Bistro,"
which meant be quick about it.
ISOMETRICS IN POPULAR
LITERATURE
In 1844, The Count of Monte Christo was
published by Alexander Dumas. Its hero,
Edmond Dantes, was a handsome, prom-
ising young sailor with a beautiful fiancee
named Mercedes and a bright future with
a commission as a ship's captain. But
then he is a victim of conspiracy of four
jealous and unsavory characters who
arrange to have him seized and secretly
imprisoned in solitary confinement in
the infamous Chateau d'If, a dangerous
offshore prison from which no one had
ever escaped. For many years, Dantes
barely exists in his tiny isolated cell. He
almost loses his mind and his will to live
as his body slowly weakens, deteriorates,
and becomes emaciated.
Then one day Dantes hears a fellow prisoner
burrowing nearby. He too begins digging,
and soon he meets an old abbe (a lower-
ranking Catholic clergyman). From the
abbe, Dantes learns history, literature,
science, ancient and modern languages,
30 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION
and the secrets of strengthening and con-
ditioning his body for the incredible task
that lies ahead of him to make good his
that many references are made to
strengthening exercises that had to be
Isometric in nature. Throughout the bal-
ance of the novel, there are numerous
references to the count's extraordinary
physical strength and prowess. And as
you can imagine, this novel also inspired
many other men to try similar exercises
. for strengthening their bodies, such as
Alexander Zass, whom you'll meet later
on in this chapter.
.
.
.
. Les Miserables poster
Victor Hugo's Les Mis erables is another
novel that makes reference to Isometric
. type exercises, and it also deals with a
. man who was imprisoned. It was originally
. published in France in 1862 and tells the
. story of Jean Valjean and his amazing
struggle to not only become a free man
but a saintly one-a man who has been
fully redeemed by God's grace in every
sense of the word . Throughout the refer-
ences to Jean Valjean's time of imprison-
ment, there are many references to
his extraordinary physical strength. For · from Devil's Island, which is located off the
instance, the following paragraph is taken
word for word from page 90, and it makes
a direct reference to Isometric strength
building exercises:
, ' His suppleness even exceeded his
vigor. Some convicts, who perpetually
dream of escaping, eventually make a
real science of combined skill and
strength; it is the science of the muscles.
A fu ll course of mysterious statics is daily · AGE OF PHYSICAL CULTURE
practiced by the prisoners, those eternal
enviers of flies and birds. Swarming
up a perpendicular, and finding a
resting place where a projection is
scarcely viSible, was child's play to
Jean Valjean. Given a corner of a wall,
with the tension of his back and hams,
with his elbows and heels clinging to
the rough stone, he could hoist
himself as if by magic to a third story,
and at times would ascend to the very
roof of the bagne. , ,
Of course, there are several other references
in various novels and books to Isometric
strength building exercises. In his 1970
autobiography PapiLlon, Henri Charriere
often refers to his static Isometric exercises
that made his muscles feel like iron when
he was incarcerated in a penal colony on
French Guiana in the 1930s and 1940s. In
fact, these exercises helped him survive his
time in solitary confinement, where he did
not hear a single word from another
h uman being for more than two years.
Charriere is the only man to ever escape
coast of French Guiana.
As you can see, from the ancients to the
· moderns, Isometric Contraction has been
a part of history and literature for millen-
niums of time. Still, the science behind
· Isometric Contraction was not validated
until the twentieth century.
ISOMETRICS AND THE GOLDEN
· In a very rea l sense, the Golden Age of
Isometric Contraction coincided with the
Golden Age of Physical Culture, which
· began with the dawning of the twentieth
· century. During this time, the Industrial
Revolution was taking hold in America,
and large numbers of people were moving
from an agrarian farming lifestyle to an
• industrial and more urban one. As a
result, more and more people were using
their mental capacities rather than their
physical capacities to earn a livelihood.
. Correspondingly, more people began suf-
fering from the diseases of modern life
that are caused by too much of the wrong
. kinds of food and too little of the right
. kinds of exercise. That is reflected in the
. fact that a male born in 1900 had a life
. expectancy of just 47 years and a female
• of just 49 years. Bottom line: these weren 't
the good old days-not by a long shot.
A CONCISE HISTORY OF ISOMETRIC CONTRACTION I 31
 BERNARR MACFADDEN
f( The Father of Physical Culture

I
n March 1899, a young man in his early 30s with a
passion for physical fitness and exercise came into
prominence when he published his first issue of
Physical Culture magazine. This publisher's name was
Bemarr MacFadden, and in just four years his slogan
"Weakness Is a Crime, Don't Be a Criminal" had
resonated so well with an ever-growing audience in
America that Physical Culture magazine reached a monthly
circulation of more than 100,000 copies.

32 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

But MacFadden didn't limit himself to
being a magazine publisher only. In 1906,
he published his own natural bodybuilding
book, Muscular Power and Beauty, which
featured photos of MacFadden teaching a
complete system of self-resistance and
Isometric exercises for every muscle group
in the body. He was so convinced of the
superiority of his Isometric/self-resistance
methods that on the title page of his book
he wrote:
, ' Containing detailed instructions
for the development of the external
muscular system to its utmost degree
of perfection. , ,
The truth was, when you saw the photos
of MacFadden's flawless physique as he
demonstrated the exercises, it made it
impossible to argue with the effectiveness
of his methods . The man clearly knew
what he was talking about and was the
"living proof personified." Believe me,
when it came to weakness, Bernarr
MacFadden was no criminal.
For more than 40 years, MacFadden's
Physical Culture magazine had an avid .
audience that reached into the hundreds
MacFadden classical poses
of thousands. In both 1921 and 1922,
• the Golden Years of Physical Culture
• Magazines, MacFadden had two contests
. to determine America's most perfectly
developed man. The winner of both
. contests was a young man who trained
. with the exact same methods that were
found in MacFadden's Muscular Power and
• Beauty. Though he discovered
. the methods in another
· source, the man's name
· was Charles Atlas,
• who became the
· stuff of legends.
.
.
.
.
.
A CONCISE HISTORY OF ISOMETRIC CONTRACTION I 33
A L 0 S P. SWOBODA
II The F 0 the r of Conscious Evolution

A
t approximately the same time that MacFadden
began teaching his methods of self-development,
there was another equally famous physical
culturist, Alois P. Swoboda, who also taught a system that
required no apparatus of any kind. He was so certain of
the incredible benefits of his exercise system that he
stated in his advertising copy: "By this condensed
system more exercise and benefit can be obtained in ten
minutes than by any other in two hours." His ads usually
featured his perfectly developed Greek-godlike physique in
one photo at the top right of the page and another photo
usually at the bottom left of the page, •
where he appeared to be a well-dressed, •
cultured, successful, and exceedingly .
handsome aristocratic gentleman.
The fact that Swoboda appealed to men
from across the spectrum of SOCiety is
clearly evident. Among his students
were President Theodore Roosevelt, two
members of the Supreme Court, doctors,
lawyers, and athletes of all types, the
magician Harry Houdini, as well as ranch
hands, miners, and lumberjacks. Swoboda
also had an incredible array of testimonials.
Truth to tell, in all respects the man was
brilliant, and his knowledge of anatomy
and physiology was second to none. In a
very real sense, Swoboda was more than
a century ahead of his time. Take, for
example, his explanation of the dangers of
lifting heavy weights and why his system
of physiological exercise was vastly superior.
" First, I desire to say that physiological
exercise produces health and strength
and improves one's physique.
A system of exercise to be physio-
logical must not produce these
results at the expense of the heart,
arteries, or vitality. Now, then, it is a
fact that the use of heavy weights is
a speedy route to development,
because of the resistance they give to
the muscles; but they cause an
enlargement and dilation of the
heart and also produce aneurism, on
account of the obstruction they give
to the circulation of the blood in the
capillary blood vessels. The capillaries
lie in between the muscular fibers,
and as the latter contract they shorten
and necessarily widen, consequently
compressing anything that lies
between them, hence the obstruction
•
of the circulation of the blood in the
•
capillaries.
. Since heavy weights cause a con-
• tinual contraction of the muscular
. fibers while they are being used, it is
• readily seen that there is a constant
• obstruction to the circulation. And
• since the heart is constantly forcing
. blood into the arteries, and it cannot
empty into the capillaries and pass
. into the veins, there is a great
• increase of pressure in the arteries,
• which reacts on the heart and causes
• hypertrophy of that organ.
Therefore, since heavy weights
cause a rapid development of muscle
and strength by means of the
resistance they give, it is a fact that
by offering the muscles the same
resistance (which is done by using
one muscle to resist or antagonize
another), one will receive the same
development. And since heavy
weights overtax the heart and
arteries by the constant obstruction
they cause, it is also a fact that by
making the contraction intermittent
by means of alternate relaxations,
the circulation of the blood will
not be obstructed, but, on the
contrary, with each relaxation, the
blood will flow from the arteries
into the capillaries, and each
A CONCISE HISTORY OF ISOMETRIC CONTRACTION I 35
 ebt Swoboda Systtll of
Pbyslologlcal €xtrdst.
(1'. . . . . . . _ _ _ >

THE IIEWE.ST WAY TO ATTAIII fUfE.CT HULTH,

AIois P. Swo~ Antq<>aiuo Two Seta of MuocIcs with Pba>omenaI
Raulto.
Alois P. Swoboda bas discovered a _y by ..bich, througbantag.
onizatioD of tbe muscles. a penon may become as stroDr as be
likes, and all tbis without artificial aid. Wbile at nineteen years of
age be was looked upon as a consumptive, tcHIay his chest and
abdominal muscles are so stronr that be can upbold a thousaod
pound weight upon them.
This remarkable state of aJfairs is tbe r ••ult of a brand ne..
system of development, the secret of .. bicb i. told in the preceding
paragraph. In the accompanying statement, oyer bis own Ilgnatun·,
Mr. Swoboda details some very interesting facta. Wbile not poslng
as a. strong man in the sense usually given that word, Swoboda bas
given some examples of bi. strength ..bicb easily place blm among
the fint of the men of muscle. For instance, be ..ill take a pack of
cards and tear it into two pieces; then be wUI tear the halves into
quarters. and the quarters into eighths. using but his thumbs and
fingers. He will do tbe same thing witb two paclaL
This is by no means all. He will first raise a 27s-pound dumb-
bell over bis bead. Then be raises a lao-pound dumb-bell over bis
head six times in succession without letting it down. He bu raised
a two-pound dumb-bell 6,000 times in 53 minutes and ~ seconds.
Here is his own story ;
"When nineteen years of age, 1 .... very weak and debilitated.
The fact that my (ather died of consumption 6.ve years previous, and
ALOIS r. SWOBODA,
Oricin*w ODd "'*'- of the ~ ScIaIIifie aod Physiological
the warning of my friends that 1 would foUo .. the same route, cansed
me to look to ..ard exercise as a means of building up my bealth and
MdbocI of IlUrdse. strength. I began the study of anatomy for the location. functioos
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ._ __ and relations of all tbe muscles. I gudied phuiOIOf" to find thS!
pbJ:siological etlect of eleereise; ..by exercise cauaed demopment.
and the effect of different modes of nercise. I soon found that the use of· bouy ..eigbts was tbe speediest . route to development. But
I also foomd that tbe use of the weigbts cbecked the capillary circu-
lation, thereby increasing the pressure in the' uteries, consequently
placing an nodue strain OD the beart. Sio.ce, bowever, the use of
weights cauaed a rapid development of the muscles and will power
and at the same time ov.-xed the beart, ~ Occurred to me that if I
could find a means by wbich the muscles cOUld be olIered tbe same
resistance as by the use of weigbts (and still not use ...eigbts), that I
could gain as much muscle, wiU power and vital force in as short a
time, and not overtax the b~ wbich is unavoidable when weigbts
are used.
"In studying anatomy I soon noticed that wbile all movable parts
of the body bod muscles to move tbem one way, they also bad muscles
to move them back again. It then occun-ed to me that to use one
muscle to offer resistance to another would cause the same develop-
ment as the use of weights to offer resistance. but with the alternate
contractions and reluations, would belp the venous circulation and
instead of obstructing the circulation in the capillaries, woold help
the blood in the course towards the beart, thereby resting the beart.
Therefore. the alternate contractions and relaxations of one muscle
under the influence of & stimulus (will power) to anta20nize another
is the principle of my system of physiological exercise.
ALOIS P. SWOBODA."

SWOBODA'S MfASUREAE.IITS.
BKGINN1NG. APTBR THIlJUt V£ARS.
Chest, normal, 34 inches. Chest, nonnal. 45 inches.
Chest, contracted, 33 inches. Chest, contracted, ~ inches.
Chest, expanded, 35" inches, Chest, expanded. S2 IOcbes.

cbest of 2"
showing an expansion of the
incbes.
Waist, 31 inch ...
Neck, 13K inches.
Biceps. 11 ~ incbes.
Forearm. 10" inches.
Thigb, 18" incbes.
Calf, 13 incbes.
Weigbt, 1)0 pounds.
showing an C'xpa.ru.ion of
18 Inches.
Neck, .6"
Waist. 2C} inches.
inches.
Bicc'p s•• 6 inch es.
Forearm, 13)( inches.
Thigb, 24 inches.
Calf, • S incbe •.
Weigbt, .60 pounds.
"LOIS f. SWOBODA,
S7"'~St.,

36 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

 contraction will force it from the In doing these Isometric Power Flexes,
capillaries into the veins and help . Swoboda's students became extremely
it in its course toward the heart. ' , . strong, beautifully sculpted, and masters
of muscle control. In fact, it was Swoboda
Swoboda wrote this more than a century
ago in his Swobodaism Course, which he • who coined the term muscle control in
copyrighted in 1901. The exact same • 1898 (then featured in his 1901 course)
dangers that Swoboda mentions were and not Maxick, who began selling his
completely verified by today's medical Maxalding course in 1909. Both men used
establishment and revealed to the public • the term muscle control to describe the
in an article published in the March 13, . ability to powerfully contract and relax
2003 issue of the Wall Street Journal titled • any given muscle group at will.
"Fears Mount Over Dangers of Pumping • One other interesting note is that world
Iron: Weightlifting Craze Comes Under • famous Charles Atlas, perhaps the most
Scrutiny by Doctors Concerned About famous bodybuilder of all time, was quoted
Health Risks." When I say that Swoboda • as saying, "Everything I know, I learned
warned of the exact dangers that have from A. P. Swoboda."
now been verified by medical science, I'm
not saying similar to-I'm saying exact. Swoboda's books and courses were pub-
You can read the Wall Street Journal lished by the Roycrofters of East Aurora,
article on line for yourself. New York. They were exquiSitely produced
• at a quality standard that is difficult to
So what exactly did Swoboda teach his • find to this very day, and the literary
students? I have seen a copy of the • content and knowledge they contained
original Swoboda course, and his exercises were brilliant.
were a combination of ultra-high tension
Isometric Power Flexes (similar to the ones By 190 I, just three years after starting
featured in this book) followed immedi- to market liThe Swoboda System, Alois11

ately by a movement where the tension in • P. Swoboda had become a millionaire .

the muscles was reduced just enough to • The headquarters for his mail -order
permit movement through a complete • empire was located in Chicago, Illinois.
range of movement while the muscles His course remained until October
remained under intense contraction. This • 1929, when he lost everything in the
was followed by a complete relaxation Stock Market Crash that ushered in the
of the effected muscle groups between • Great Depression of the 1930s. He was
repetitions that allowed the blood to flow • working on a comeback when he died
unimpeded as mentioned in the previously in 1939.
quoted paragraphs.

A CONCISE HISTORY OF ISOMETRIC CONTRACTION I 37

 MAXICK
II The Moster a f M us c e Control"

W
hile MacFadden and Swoboda were making
names for themselves in America in the
early 1900s with their own brands of
Isometrics and physical culture, there were similar
stirrings in Europe. Here there was a young man by the
name of Max Sick, who stood less than 5'3" tall but was
phenomenally strong and well developed. He was
introduced in London, England, by strong man Tromp
Van Diggelen, who was a master physical culturist in his
own right. Although the two men had never met, they
soon discovered that they had both, independently of each

38 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

other, devised a system of muscle control
and physical culture based on Isometric
Contraction exercises that allowed them
to develop extraordinary robust health as
well as great physical strength without
the use of any form of apparatus.
It was shades of Alois P. Swoboda and
Beman MacFadden all over again. In fact,
when Van Diggelen met Max Sick, he con-
vinced Max Sick to change his name to
"Maxick" in order to appeal to an English
audience. (After all, how many English-
speaking men would want to purchase a
health and muscle building course from a
man whose name was Max Sick?) In 1909
this brought into being the world famous
"Maxalding" Mail-Order Bodybuilding
and physical culture course that remained
popular for well over 60 years throughout
Europe. Similar to the Swoboda course,
which was published in 1898 in America,
the Maxalding course featured Isometric
Power Flex exercises and made numerous
references to directed thought being the
source of muscular contraction and the
key to the acquisition of great strength.
The following is an excerpt taken from .
Muscle Control by Maxick that was written •
in 1911 and explains the power of •
focused thought in achieving success
with Maxalding:
How Mechanical Exercise May
Hinder Muscle-Development
, , One day I was watching a journey-
man filing metal. I fell to wondering
vaguely why it was that his arm and
deltoid development was so small in
• comparison with that of the rest of
• his body, knowing, as I did, that the
• man had worked at the bench for
years. Surely, according to accepted
• theory, it was just these parts which
should be the more developed
considering the nature of his work!
•
•
.
•
.
.
.
.
•
•
•
• I was so interested in this case that
I began to take careful note of other
. workmen; and my observations at
length convinced me that mechanical
.
exercise will not increase bulk of
.
strength beyond a certain degree.
I found out later by experiment
that mechanical exercise will only
produce good results if interest is
directed to the muscles being 'used.
If the mind is directed only to work
being performed, a certain pOint of
muscular resistance is reached; but
there it stops. To secure full benefit
from the exercise it is essential that the
mind be concentrated on the muscles,
and not on the work performed. , ,
A CONCISE HISTORY OF ISOMETRIC CONTRACTION I 39
 The Case ofthe Stonemason
, , Instances by way of example may
be given by the hundred. Take the
case of the stonemason, who has to
use a hammer or mallet for many
hours daily, during which thousands
of blows are struck, and the shoulder
and arm have to bear the weight, as
well as use the mallet.
Now, according to the theories
enunciated by many teachers of
physical culture, the greater the
number of repetitions performed of
one exercise, the greater the develop-
ment of the muscles employed. But
here is a flat contradiction of these
theories, for it will be observed that
40 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION
the majority of stonemasons do not
evince anything exceptional in the
way of arm and shoulder muscle
development.
And the explanation? Perfectly
simple! The stonemason's mind is
necessarily concentrated upon the work
before him, and he pays littLe or no
heed to his muscles. ' ,
Maxick clearly explains why self-directed
Isometric Contractions without apparatus
can yield such exceptional results. It
is because during a true Isometric
Contraction, the individual's thoughts or
mind is clearly focused on the contraction
of the muscle itself.
 GEORGE F JOWETT
"Moster P hy SIC a Culturist
Strongman, and Publisher "

his same concept of mind/muscle connection was

also written about by George F. Jowett, who also
became famous as a strongman and physical
culturist. In his book Th e Unrevealed Secrets of Man,
'
which was published in 1928, Jowett stated the
following, which is totally in sync with what Maxick
stated in the previous section:

A CONCISE HISTORY OF ISOMETRIC CONTRACTION I 41

 George F. Jowett performing an Isometric balance exercise (try holding that for three minutes!).
, , Mental concentration is where thou-
sands of bodybuilders fall; they fail to
see the dividing line. Blindly they stag-
ger about the road and fail to read the
sign at the crossroads. Their case is a
reminder of "the spirit is willing but
the flesh is weak." You never saw a
pitcher successfully curve a ball over
the plate while arguing with the
umpire. No, and you never saw a body
culturist acquire the super state of
physical manhood with movements
that lacked pep and a mind filled with
"Gee whiz, how soon will I be done?"
They are like the youngster learning
music with his eyes on the clock.
Practicing a movement a hundred
times or thousand times will not get
you anywhere, nor will pulling and
hauling at a ton of iron. The more
42 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION
mental impulse you put behind an
effort th e less tim e is required.
Movements become clockwork, too
mechanicaC and hauling a ton of
metal is like praying to a bronze
Buddha to hand )Tou out a check for
a million dollars. , ,
• As you can clearly see from these quotes
taken from Maxick and George F. Jowett,
as well as the entire history of Isometric
Contraction up to this pOint, your success
with Isometric Contractions as the master
method of physical development would
· seem to be dependent upon two essential
· factors: (1) The muscular contraction
itself and (2) your ability to use your mind
and directed thoughts with a laser-like
focus to intentionally contract your
muscles with great intensity. These two
• factors are, in fact, two of the golden
keys to superior lifelong strength and
development. But there is a third equally
important factor, literally the third golden
key that has been completely overlooked
in all contemporary Isometric training
texts published since the 1950s. And
when I say all, I mean all. As a result, I can
safely say that not one man in a 1,000 is
George F. Jowett perfonning his fam olls anvil stunt.
remotely aware of the secret that you are
about to learn. To explain the third golden
. key, I will turn to the writings of the
man who introduced Max Sick to the
. world as Maxick, a man for whom I have
. tremendous admiration and respect,
. Tromp Van Diggelen.
A CONCISE HISTORY OF ISOMETRIC CONTRACTION I 43
 TROMP VAN DIGGELEN
"Adventurer E xtroordinoir e fI

I
n his autobiography, titled Worthwhile Journey, Tromp
Van Diggelen, who was one of the world's greatest
physical culturists and one of the world's strongest
men, explained his method of (Isometric) muscular
contraction and how he discovered it. He also high-
lighted the third golden key that makes Isometric
Contraction the superior method that it truly is. Even
without employing the third key, you could still achieve
tremendous muscular strength and shapeliness, but with it
you become master over your entire voluntary muscular
system. This key will tremendously enhance your functional

44 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

strength and athletic ability by having the exercise that develops the muscle
complete muscular control over your entire • but the blood that the exercise brings
musculature from the top of your head to . to the muscles."
your toes. Please read very carefully:
We talked the matter over at
, , One day, Mr. Tatham told me that length, and I told him how I
when you pinch a muscle with your explained to my mother that I was
fingers you hinder or impede the not strong enough to pull rubber
blood flow in that muscle and then, strands in an attempt to get stronger.
when the muscle is released, the I had told her that I was wasting
blood which was kept back, flows for- energy and that I must save the small
ward again with increased impetus. amount of strength that I possessed.
"If you have a little stream of water,"
he said, "and you hold back the flow
by putting a spade across the small
furrow, the water builds up behind
the spade, and when you lift the
spade again, that extra water runs for-
ward strongly." That simple picture
made the idea very clear to me, and
I responded by saying: "But, Mr.
Tatham, if I make the muscle in my
arm hard, the blood flow in the
muscle must surely be slowed
down?" "By Jove, you are right,
Cottie," he replied. "Then," I went
on, "when I relax the muscle again,
the blood must fill it even better than
usual for a few moments, and so if Tromp at a fair in the First World War,
I contract my muscles extra hard and lifting 210 pounds with one hand.

I relax them again, extra well, I will be
creating a better blood flow in them,
and as you have always told me that
the blood is a river of nourishment,
I would be bringing extra food to the
muscles as well as the nerve-centres,
wouldn't I, sir?" "Cottie," said my
teacher, "you have said something
very important; it seems that it is not
Later on, when I had better words
at my command, I explained myself
more aptly by saying: "One must
conserve energy when exercising and
expend it as little as possible. If, for
instance, you swing Indian clubs to
develop your pectoral muscles, you
will not get the splendid and quick
results that you get by strongly

A CONCISE HISTORY OF ISOMETRIC CONTRACTION I 45

 contracting these muscles for a couple
of seconds, and then relaxing them
thoroughly for a couple of seconds, and
repeating this simple procedure till
you feel that the pectoral muscles are
properly flushed with blood."
Many, many years later I was
very happy when Professor Stibbe,
the noted anatomist of the
London University, said: "Tromp Van
Diggelen is the first man who ever
spoke of forced relaxation.'" ,
Tromp, at the age of 53, presses a sack of mealies weighing 203 pounds, which was 20 pOllnds more than his own weight.
46 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION
As you can see from reading Van
Diggelen's text, the third golden key that
• allows you complete self-mastery over
your entire muscular system is your ability
to completely relax your muscles with the
same level of control as that with which
you consciously contract them. This
• allows your circulatory system to bring
• new nourishment and life-giving oxygen
to your muscles, nerves, and every cell of
your body. More on Tromp Van Diggelen
later, but now I want to introduce you to
Alexander Zass, The Amazing Samson.
 ALEXANDER Z ASS
" The Amazing Samson

O
f all the men who have used Isometric Contraction
to develop superior strength and physique,
I believe that Alexander Zass reigns supreme.
At the level of feats of strength for which he was
famous, I have no doubt that he truly was the world's
strongest man. His claim to fame was his ability to
bend thick iron bars and snap chains with his bare
hands. But it wasn't just iron bars that Zass could bend.
He did, in fact, bend railroad spikes into perfect "U"
shapes and did so on several occasions. What made his feats
of strength so unique was the way in which he developed his

A CONCISE HISTORY OF ISOMETRIC CONTRACTION I 47

 extraordinary strength. That alone is the
stuff of legend, and also very reminiscent
of what Victor Hugo stated in Les
Miserables about convicts in prison practic-
ing a "mysterious series of statics" that
produced extraordinary strength.
For Alexander Zass, it all started in World
War I when he was a Russian prisoner of
war in an Austrian prison camp. Prior to
the war he had been a very strong man
who worked out religiously with conven-
tional training methods of the day and
Alexander Zass breaking chains
was very proficient at the art of wrestling.
.But once imprisoned, he found himself
shackled in solitary confinement and
unable to exercise properly, or so he
thought. Sure enough, his body began to
deteriorate just as anyone's body would
when it is deprived of exercise. It was then •
that he began pulling and pushing on his
prison bars and chains as a means of exer- . thousands of test subjects between 1946
cise. To his great delight, he discovered
that not only did this form of training
rebuild his strength and physique, but it
augmented it far beyond any level that he
had enjoyed previously. When the time
was right, he bent the bars to his prison
48 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION
window, ripped one of them out, bent the
bar to use as a J-hook for scaling a wall,
and literally snapped the chains from his
manacles to make good his escape!
After the war, Zass continued with
his newly developed strength training
method, refined it, went on the road
as a strongman throughout Europe and
England, and became famous as "The
Amazing Samson," performing feats of
strength that have not been dupli-
cated to this day. He also sold the
very first course that utilizes Isometric
• Contraction exclusively. In fact, the
• entire Zass course was conducted using
chains as the sole strength building
apparatus, just as Zass had used as a pris-
• oner of war. But think about it. What
could possibly be more macho than hav-
ing your students endeavor to break
chains? And break chains they did.
Several of his best students wrote to him
requesting even heavier chains because,
like their hero Alexander Zass, they too
had broken their chains and needed
something more substantial. Such was
the power of the Zass Isometric Training
method, which was initiated 30 years
prior to Isometric Contraction being ver-
ified as the superior strength building
method by the scientists who conducted
hundreds of physical experiments with
and 1961 at the Max Planck Institute in
Dortmund, Germany.
I should also mention one other interest-
ing fact. Although Zass was second to
none at the feats of strength for which he
was famous, he did not possess the right
kind of leverage, and therefore strength,
to perform heavy feats of weightlifting. In
fact, W. A. Pullum, who was the British
weightlifting coach in the 1948 Olympic
Games, the first Olympics conducted after
World War II, spoke in the most compli-
mentary way imaginable about Zass in
spite of the fact that Zass was not a
weightlifter. The following is an excerpt
from the October 1952 Health and Strength
magazine article titled, Alexander Zass:
II
The Amazing Samson":
, ' Samson, though, while so popular
with the general public, was not so
with weightlifters, on the whole, as he
did not do weightlifting in his act. There
were even some who argued that
neglect to do this-as he must have
used weights to gain the strength he
possessed-was a betrayal of their
favorite sport. Had their anatomical
knowledge only been as profound as
their convictions, they would have
found that far from Samson having
manufactured his particular brand of
strength with weights, it was evident
he had not used them in manner
understood, the very nature of some
of his feats clearly proving that. For
these feats had developed to a degree
of superhuman strength the muscles
that opposed the actions of orthodox
weightlifting.
Couldn't Do Weightlifting! That's the
all-sufficing reason why Samson
never featured weightlifting in his
act: he just couldn't do it! Which
further explains why the projected
match with Goerner never had the
. slightest chance of coming off.
. One was a weightlifting strong man,
. the other was not. No possibility
existed of bringing the two extremes
. together, or even of effecting a
middle course compromise. Samson
being in a position where he could
dictate terms, naturally could not be
expected to compromise. ' ,
I have included Pullum's quote to answer
a commonly asked question about
whether or not Isometric Contraction by
· itself will make you a better weightlifter.
You can see that it will build sheer
strength and power better than any other
method. But to be good at weightlifting
requires speed, excellent leverage, and
technique. If you are missing any of these
three components, you may be amazingly
strong, as was Alexander Zass, and
perhaps among the strongest of men
worldwide, but not in a way that applies
to weightlifting. So instead of using a bar
to lift weights, you just bend the bar.
Finally, one more pOint of interest about
Alexander Zass. During the 1920s and
1930s, his course of Chain Isometrics was
phenomenally popular in Europe. I can't
help but believe that when World War II
ended and thousands of injured soldiers
desperately needed rehab that the doctors
· at the Max Planck Institute decided to
· check out the Zass method only to verify
it as the world's best and most efficient
method of building muscle strength.
More on that later.
A CONCISE HISTORY OF ISOMETRIC CONTRACTION I 49
 JOSEPH GREENSTE N
II The Mighty A tom"

A
t the same time that Alexander lass was touring
the capitals of Europe, performing his magnificent
feats of strength to sold-out audiences, there was a
lass-counterpart touring the vaudeville circuit in America
and performing many of the same types of feats as lass.
His name was Joseph Greenstein, liThe Mighty Atom."
Similar to both lass and Maxick, Greenstein stood 5'3"
tall and weighed 147 pounds. He too was famous for
breaking chains, bending bars, and straightening horse-
shoes with his bare hands. And similar to Alexander lass, he
trained a great deal with Isometric Contraction. In fact ,

50 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

Greenstein first learned about Isometric greatest wrestler of the twentieth
Contraction while accompanying his • century.
friend and mentor, the Russian Cossack .
circus strongman "Volanko," on a trip to
India in the summer of 1908. Volanko •
was visiting his Indian friend, who was •
known worldwide as the greatest wrestler •
who ever lived, "Gama, the Lion of the •
Punjab." The following is an excerpt from
the book, The Mighty Atom: The Life and •
Times of Joseph L. Greenstein, Biography of a •
Super Human by Ed Spielman:

, 'At last, he and Volanko arrived at a

place that was crowded with a chat-
tering throng; they were the only
Europeans among them. It was a
wrestling ring. For centuries wrestling
was the national sport of India, and it
was treated with some formality.

In the center of a loose earthen pit,

two massive Indian wrestlers stood
naked except for breech cloths, their
black mustaches preened and heads
shaven. Each raised a weighty gold
scepter-mace, his badge of champi-
onship. This formality concluded,
the two men faced each other in the
open pit. The crowd took up a
chant, calling the name "Gama"
again and again as the match began.
In a matter of seconds, the smaller
man upended his opponent and
slammed him to the earth as a roar
went up. A gross mismatch. The vic-
tor was Volanko's friend, "Gama, the
Lion of the Punjab," who would in
years to come be recognized by
Western sports historians as the
At 5 '6" and 270pollnds of solid mllscle,
The Mighty Gama was undefeated in 5,000 matches.
No need to wonder why!
After the match, Volanko, Gama,
and the boy sat in the shade as the
two wrestlers talked idly and all
shared from a large basket of fruit, a
gift to Champion Gama who was a
strict vegetarian. With appropriate
deference, the boy addressed him.
"Gama, may I ask you some-
thing?"

A CONCISE HISTORY OF ISOMETRIC CONTRACTION I 51

 Th e Migh ty A tom, lying 0 11 a board studded with sharp-poin ted nails, as he supports
17 m em bers of a band and th eir instruments. He held this position fo r 15 minutes.
IIAsk."
IIYour opponent was very big ... "
and yet I threw him like a
1I •••
baby."
II How? " Yosselle asked in wonder-
ment.
lilt's really quite simple," the
Indian said good-naturedly. IIIn the
Punjab, where I lived, there was a
large tree behind my house . Each
morning I would rise up early, tie my
belt around it, and try to throw it
down."
II A tree?" the boy marveled.
IIFor twenty years."
II And you did it?"
IINo, little one," Gama smiled,
IIbut after a tree ...a man is easy." "
It was from this introduction to Isometric
Contraction that The Mighty Atom began
applying the method for the development
52 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION
of his own super human strength. Similar
to Alexander Zass, Greenstein was an
exceptionally good wrestler and athlete,
whose feats amazed onlookers to the
point where they literally could not
believe what they were seeing. In addition
to chain breaking, bar bending, and
horseshoe straightening, The Atom also
performed a few unorthodox feats. For
instance, he would drive a 6" spike
. through a long 2 " X 6" board with a single
palm strike. Then he would bend over, use
his teeth to extract the spike from the
board, and proceed to bite the spike in
half. He would also bite through chains as
part of his act . Now, I grant you that
biting through spikes and chains is
extreme and just a little bit strange, but
it also demonstrates an unusual level
of strength.
The following is an excerpt taken from
the June 1938 Look magazine in which
The Mighty Atom performed the feats I've
just mentioned. At the time of the article,
The Atom was SS years old . The fact that
his Isometric training method produced
exceptional strength is without question .
But what is even more amazing was the
fact that 38 years later, during the sum-
mer of 1976 when he was 93 years old,
The Mighty Atom was still performing the
same feats of strength! The photographic
• sequence shown at the bottom of this page
• was taken at that event more than 30 years
ago at Madison Square Garden.
Bottom line: not only will Isometrics
• make you a great deal stronger, it will help
keep you that way for life. And if you do a
• few other things right, you can expect a
very long, healthy, and vigorous life just
like The Mighty Atom.
A CONCISE HISTORY OF ISOMETRIC CONTRACTION I 53
 CHARLES ATLAS
" The World's Most Perfectly Developed Man"

I
na very real sense, the history of Isometric
Contraction would be totally incomplete and lacking
without mention of liThe World's Most Perfectly
Developed Man," Charles Atlas. It would be like the his-
tory of the D-Day invasion of Normandy, France, on
June 6, 1944, without the mention of General Dwight D.
Eisenhower, the Supreme Commander of the Allied
Forces during World War II. After all, when it comes to
Isometric Contraction, no one did more to popularize this
method of exercise than the legendary Charles Atlas.

54 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

So here goes. Charles Atlas was born in Method that put young Angelo on the
Acri, Italy, on October 30, 1893, with the • fast track to physical transformation and
birth name of Angelo Siciliano. He • perfection. So much so that one day when
emigated to the United States with his • Angelo was on the beach with his friends,
mother when he was ten years old. one of them said, "Hey, Charley [Angelo's
During his early teens, he was often • nickname], you're looking just like that
victimized by an older bully in a manner • Atlas guy in the statue." It wasn't long
nearly identical to the character "Mac" • before young Angelo Siciliano legally
in the famous Charles Atlas cartoon ads- • changed his name to Charles Atlas and
"The Insult That Made a Man Out of . became the stuff of legend.
Mac"-that were so popular in the comic .
books of the 1930s-1970s. "Mac" was the . With his newly sculpted physique,
skinny guy with the beautiful girl at : Charles Atlas became a highly paid
the beach, and the big bruiser of a bully . model, posing for many famous sculptors
kicks sand in his face and then threatens · of the day. He also worked at a sideshow
to smash in Mac's face. Feeling totally . on Coney Island, performing as a strong-
humiliated, Mac sees a "Dynamic Tension" man, and even toured the vaudeville
ad in a magazine and writes to Charles · circuit with his friend Earle Liederman in
Atlas. Within a relatively short period of • a hand balancing act. Then in 1921, he
time, Mac the Scrawny becomes Mac the •• won the title of "The World's Most
Mighty, and he looks in the mirror and Perfectly Developed Man" in a contest
says, "It didn't take Charles Atlas long to
• sponsored by Bernarr MacFadden and
give me these muscles." He then goes : Physical Culture magazine. When Atlas
back to the same beach, sees the same won the title again in 1922, MacFadden
bully humiliating someone else, and . gave up sponsoring it, saying, "What's
promptly dispatches the idiot with a . the use? Atlas would win it every time ."
thunderous right hand and hands the • Atlas then teamed up with Dr. Fredrich
guy's butt to him . Of course, the girl is • Tilney, a noted health writer and physical
thrilled and says, "Oh, Mac, you are a real . culturist, and published the world
man after all." And there are several other famous Charles Atlas Exercise Course in
onlookers making statements such as 1922. Initially, the Atlas course was
"Wow! Look at that guy's build" and . advertised and promoted primarily in
"He's already famous for it."
• Physical Culture magazine and was only
The truth is that that whole cartoon moderately successful. But in 1929,
episode really happened to young Angelo . Charles Atlas was joined by a young
Siciliano. But at the time, he didn't have advertising executive by the name of
Charles Atlas to write to, so instead he Charles Roman, and they were off to the
did the next best thing: he wrote to Alois races. The first thing Roman did was to
P. Swoboda. And it was the Swoboda change the name of the course as well as

A CONCISE HISTORY OF ISOMETRIC CONTRACTION I 55

 coin, copyright, and trademark the term millionaires during the Great Depression
for the exercise methods that were of the 1930s.
featured in the course-"Dynamic
It can even further be stated that the
Tension." He also rewrote the ads and
Atlas Dynamic Tension Method became
promotional material so that they
the stuff of legend in another way. On
appealed as much to teenage boys as to
February 15, 1933, the superhero "Doc
grown men. Hence, there were multiple
Savage, The Man of Bronze" was intro-
variations of the ad, "The Insult That
duced in magazine form to an anxious
Made a Man Out of Mac." Roman ran
and ever-growing American teen market.
these ads in comic books, realizing there
(In fact, Lester Dent, who wrote the Doc
was an ever-growing army of teens who
Savage novels under the pseudonym of
wanted to become strong and manly like
Kenneth Robeson, said that his target
Charles Atlas. In addition, Roman set up
· audience was 15-year-old boys who
wanted to become like the superhero
Clark "Doc" Savage.) Beginning with the
very first issue, Dent made it clear that
"Doc" developed his incredible strength
and musculature by performing Charles
Atlas's Dynamic Tension exercises for
"'_14 ... __

_
""_~"11rIffl-
""......... ..... ~ · two hours every day. And unlike other
_ .. _...d.....,_
_~IW1 ... _

, . . . _t ..... hnqt1no:
~....- .. 1lw-:r writers of the day, Lester Dent did not
~1 1
......
..... lfIoN'~
......... ,..... ,<1-
. "..... , .. ,.,. ..ur.
.,I• .".... · I~. _-
have a weakness for whiskey. According
,......, "io:.1< ........ , ...
_
..
.. tr..--trJ
_I ...... ....'~
II"
to his wife, when Lester wrote the Savage
-.-
lloiook ...

- It _
~IIoI _ ..... k

..... WOI'"-..
novels, he was drinking quarts of milk
..,. -.....t. ~..d "
.................
_

l(·~ ...
.
...,. . . IIO'l ..... _
~~

"...lJI) · and practicing Dynamic Tension just like

· the superhero of his novels! That is the
'-''''' .......... ' .. I_JfoouJ*.lIt«
Io.~ •• " ... .,(.."..........
type of advertising that money can't buy.
, .....,. T . . . . ., •• itlplUt, IAlClMInd,
I-'~". ~
..... """fo,kdt.o...t'.~
....IU.. I~ .... , ..........
... ,..... __ ..........
1..,.,.put,
_.""'"
... ,,,,- - '. • 1Iit-iI.q""

f~_I ... · In addition, there were world famous

:_ ~""'-lk-;:='_eI ~"";. I~:-': -====::;
_""'1 .... n.d ...
....._ .......
i ... ..., .......... , .... , ..
athletes and celebrities of all types who
........-"'-,,-.-
\I,,., •• w.. '-I .n ,._ ;. 11'>,10 ,•
."", I
...... ...-.... ...
JoUII .... ""-- ........ II...." I used the Charles Atlas Dynamic Tension
.... -.. Ity' ... .........u,- _ oJ .... . - - . . - -
-w ___ I .......... bJ\ ...., ....... ...a
""",,..,_1_-'- , ............. IiItLlr.....
.. ..w ,... , u-.& ...1....... ctll&tftl....o""1 exercises. Heavyweight boxing champions
Ph ysica l Culture Magazin e, D ec. 1921 Max Baer and Joe Louis, baseball players
numerous feats of strength for Atlas to such as Joe Di Maggio and Ted Williams,
perform in public in order to create even and even Robert Ripley proudly stated
more publicity. In fact, throughout the that he was an Atlas student ("believe it
1930s-1950s, Atlas was never out of the or not"). There was Mahatma Gandhi in
public eye. The team of Altas and Roman far-off India and members of the royal
was so successful that both men became family in Britain, and a future u.S .

56 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

president who wrote to Charles Atlas in combined with a selection of power
1942 in order to become strong enough calisthenic exercises for the development
to pass the enlistment standards for the of all-around functional strength and
U.S. avy. Similar to hundreds of thou- fitness . They include many of the same
sands of other young exercises that you find
men, John F. Kennedy in this book (though
turned to Charles Atlas we include many more)
in order to get into top and yield splendid
physical form and fulfill results . These self-resist-
his patriotic duty by ance Isometrics can be
enlisting for World War practiced virtually any-
II, and in the process time and anyplace and
became a war hero. are the foundation of
what my uncle Milo
After the war, Charles
taught me. This form
Atlas was a frequent guest
of Isometric Contraction
on radio programs, and
that pits one group of
then as television became
muscles against another
a media sensation, a
is what my uncle Milo
whole new generation of
termed "Classic Isometric
America's teenagers was
Contraction."
introduced to Charles
Atlas and his method One other interesting piece
of Dynamic Tension. In of information about
fact, Mr. Atlas remained Charles Atlas and his
popular right up until his methods was published
death in the early 1970s, in the April 17, 1964
and his course is still edition of Life magazine.
being sold today by The feature article was
Charles Atlas Limited. about the new scientifi-
cally verified exercise
So what exactly is the
method called "Isometric
Charles Atlas Dynamic
Contraction" that had
Tension Method? Simply
become immensely popu-
put, it is a series of
lar among Americans.
dynamic self-resistance
Guess what the title was:
exercises for every mus-
cle grou p in the body Ph ysical Culture Magazine, July 1937, age 43
"Atlas Was Right All
Along."
that can also be practiced isometrically •
with no movement at all. These are then .

A CONCISE HISTORY OF ISOMETRIC CONTRACTION I 57

 AT LAST! SCIENCE PROVES IT still thousands of U.S. soldiers in hospitals
Although the concept and understanding all around the country who needed rehab
of Isometric strength training had been · before they could return to society. So this
known and implemented in various test conducted at Springfield College on
strength building programs around the frogs could be useful in determining how
world for millenniums of time, it had • long before complete immobilization
never been scientifically studied, evaluated, caused excessive muscle degeneration and
validated, or quantified in any way until atrophy in humans ... or so they thought.
1920. And even then, it wasn't studied in The researchers took healthy frogs and
the sense of validating or quantifying
tethered one leg so that it was completely
Isometric strength training. In fact, it was immobile while the other leg was allowed
discovered almost completely by acci- free movement. The results were totally
dent. And when it was discovered, the
unexpected. After the frogs had been
results were considered not applicable to
tethered for two weeks, and the tethered
human beings and buried in scientific
leg was released from its harness, the
research papers for more than a quarter
scientists were shocked to discover that
century.
the frogs increased strength in the tethered
Here's the scoop on what happened with . immobilized leg to an extraordinary degree.
the first "Isometric Research Project." So much so that each frog jumped
lopsided, because of the incredible
The Springfield Study of 1920 strength increase in the tethered leg. After
In the fall of 1920, a research test was several additional experiments were
conducted at Springfield College in conducted, with each experiment achieving
Springfield, Massachusetts, and the test the exact same result, the research project
subjects were frogs. Yes, you read that was abandoned because it seemed there
right: frogs. The study was conducted to . was no application to human beings. The
determine the degenerative effects of . research was written up in scientific
immobilization on frogs' legs. The pur- . journals of the day, but for all intents and
pose was to observe frogs that had one leg . purposes was completely disregarded as
immobilized and the other leg allowed irrelevant to human beings.
free movement. The idea was to discover
In short, the researchers conducting the
how much time was required before the
experiment at Springfield College were
muscles in the immobilized leg would .
unable to grasp the fact that the reason
degenerate and atrophy and become virtu- .
· for the tremendous strength increase in
ally nonfunctional.
· the tethered leg as opposed to the free
The context for the experiment is impor- leg was because the frogs were only
tant. It had only been one year since using a small precentage of their muscle
World War I had ended, and there were fibers to move the free untethered leg .

58 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTI ON

In the immobolized leg, however, by
straining against an immovable bond ,
the entire muscle was exercised to its
very deepest muscle fibers . Hence the
phenomenal increase in the strength of
the tethered leg.
Dramatization of the
Springfield Study
As it turned out, the researchers simply
did not grasp that they had made an
incredible discovery that could have
made a huge difference in rehabbing the
soldiers from World War 1. They simply
didn't "get it," and the results of the
experiment were shelved untiL ..
1946
It has been said that "necessity is the
mother of invention," and that was
absolutely true at the end of World War II
in 1946. Europe, and particularly Germany,
had literally been devastated and destroyed
by the carnage of the war, and there was
the tremendous necessity to rebuild the . (hence muscle control in both contraction
European continent. Even more acutely
felt was the need to rehabilit ate tens of • popular throughout Europe for more
thousands of severely injured European
soldiers from all sides, both Axis and Allies.
By the war's end, there were so many
wounded and crippled people that there
was not enough medical personnel,
medical supplies, hospital beds, or
conventional equipment available for
rehabilitation . There was a great necessity
to retu rn these men to productive civil-
ian enterprise in order to begin the
process of rebuilding Europe, but no way
to achieve it.
It was then that doctors and physiologists
under the direction of Dr. E. A. Mueller
and Dr. Theodore Hettinger at the Max
• Planck Institute in Dortmund, Germany,
began an earnest st udy of Isometric
· Contraction. The purpose of their study
was to determine whether or not
Isometric Contraction could be success -
fully used therapeutically in the
rehabilitation of the t housands of
injured soldiers wh o were being
returned to civilian life.
At this pOint, you may wonder why Drs .
Mueller and Hettinger chose to specifically
focus on Isometric Contraction. I'm not
sure that anyone knows the complete
· answer, but I'll venture a hunch based
on the previous hist ory we've already
established. By 1946, the Maxalding
method of strength and bodybuilding,
which was a series of deep Isometric
muscle contractions followed by complete
relaxation of any given muscle group
and relaxation), had been made widely
than 3S years. Similarly, Alexander Zass,
A CONCISE HISTORY OF ISOMETRIC CONTRAcnON I 59
 liThe Amazing Samson, /Ihad performed (its duration), number of contractions
as a strongman to sold-out audiences required at any given time, and the
in virtually all the European capitals frequency of contraction in order to
throughout all of the 1920s and most of obtain the best possible results . These
the 1930s. His mail-order bodybuilding variables were tested and retested on more
course was made up almost exclusively than 5,000 volunteer test subjects and
of Isometric strength building tech- • carefully quantified. The researchers also
niques, and his method was widely • included other variables besides Isometric
advertised in physical culture journals Contraction, including nutrition, exposure
throughout Europe . Then, of course, by to ultraviolet light (sunlight), ambient
the mid 1930s, Charles Atlas had become temperature, sleep habits, recreation, and
internationally famous and was selling chronological age.
his course all over the world, including
• All in all, it was the most extensive
all of Europe.
• research into the physiology of exercise
So, in retrospect, I have no doubt that that had ever been conducted up to that
faced with the dilemma of tens of point in time. And the results, compiled
thousands of injured soldiers in desperate from experiments lasting more than a
need of rehabilitation as well as the decade, are valid to this day.
fact that medical supplies and personnel • the 1920
· For instance, going back to
were grossly inadequate to meet the
• Springfield Frog Experiment, the re-
demand, the researchers at the Max • searchers at Max Planck conducted much
Planck Institute were probably wonder-
the same experiment but used human test
ing whether or not these strength train-
subjects instead of frogs. This is how
ing methods they had heard about since
it was done. A test group comprised of
their youth were in fact real; and if they
50 healthy men, ages 19-55 , was
were real, how long before the results
selected. The strength of each man's arms
were substantive. It was these questions
• was carefully measured, then one arm was
that the researchers at the Max Planck
· placed in a plaster cast (okay, so they
Institute set out to answer, and answer
didn't tether it). This arm received no
them they did!
exercise at all, except once a day when the
In fact, they left no stone uncovered • cast was opened and the subjects performed
in determining exactly what variables a series of three Isometric contractions for
created the best possible results as regards • both flexors and extensors of the arm.
Isometric Contraction. Everything from This arm received a total time expenditure
intensity of contraction (how close to its of less than one minute of exercise a day. At
absolute limit did a muscle have to be • the end of four weeks, new tests were
contracted in order to obtain the best conducted to determine the results. Of
possible result), time under contraction • course, there were many variations made

60 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

to this one basic study, but they all added University. He had been a professional
up to the same results: dramatic strength football player as well as a great all-
increase in the immobolized arm! around athlete prior to his career in
academia. Bottom line: he knew a great
Time after time the results verified them-
deal about exercise. But it wasn't until
selves, and Isometric Contraction became
1960 that he was introduced to Isometric
widely used and endorsed by the medical
Contraction. It happened during a tech-
establishment worldwide as the best, safest,
nical meeting at the Institute of Human
most efficient, and least expensive method
Anatomy at the University of Rome
of physical rehabilitation of its day. This
during the 1960 Olympic games. There he
was also true here in America, where it was
met a young researcher from the Max
being used in the rehabilitation of polio
Planck Institute who described experiments
victims.
on the Isometric Contraction of muscles
that his director, Dr. E. A. Mueller, had
carried out on more than 5,000 volunteers
over a period of well over a decade. The
• results, the young man said, were nothing
less than extraordinary.
It was then that
Obeck decided to
perform his own
research into the
• science of Isometric
· Contraction. Before
• long, he was com-
pletely convinced
and began devising
• Isometric programs
• for his athletic
teams at New York
University and did
so with great suc-
cess. He also stated the following about
Vic Obeck performing an Isometric Contraction the therapeutic advantage of Isometric
Contraction in his book Isometrics: How to
For example, one of America's preeminent
Exercise Without Moving a Muscle.
Isometric researchers was Victor Obeck,
Professor of Physical Education as well • " One of our students at N.Y.U. had
as Director of Athletics at New York • suffered an attack of polio which left

A CONCISE HISTORY OF ISOMETRIC CONTRACTION I 61

 his left leg seriously weakened. He'd
been trying to build up the lost
strength by exercising with weights
strapped to his foot. When I first saw
him, he could lift a 3-pound weight
three times with his weakened leg, 10
pounds ten times with the right one.
I suggested he try Isometric exercises
for his left leg, while continuing the
weights with his right leg. At the end
of one month, he could lift a 15-
pound weight ten times with his
"weak" leg. With the sound leg he
could only lift 11 pounds ten times! ' ,
The reason I note this point is because
back during the mid 1960s, my uncle Milo
purchased Obeck's book and made a point
• representative of that specific individual.
of contacting him . In fact, the two become
fairly good friends, and the one thing
Obeck came to believe was that the "aver-
age" results achieved by volunteer test
Figure 7
62 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION
subjects at the Max Planck Institute cOlild
be greatly surpassed by motivated individuals.
And what were the averages according
to the researchers at the Max Planck
• Institute? Well, the truth is that it varied
with the individual and the various
muscle groups. The following excerpt
is from Dr. Theodore Hettinger's book,
Th e Physiology of Strength, which was
· first published in America in 1961. The
paragraph cited and the chart are from
page 38 and refer to one individual's
. results. As you can see, the percentage of
: weekly increase varies by muscle group
considerably. And as you can also clearly
see, Hettinger stated that the results
in the accompanying chart were only
, ' In Figure 7, as an example, the
results of increasing strength during
a period of training are given on one
EXAMPLES OF
WEEKLY INCREASE
IN STRENGTH OF
DIFFERENT
MUSCLE GROUPS
Relolive 10
Beginning
Valves
Hellinger
 person in whom we have trained
many different muscle groups. The
numbers demonstrate the increase
in strength week by week in percent-
age of the beginning value. The
speed of increase in the different
muscle groups is true in these given
numbers only for this subject. ' ,
The point is that although most Isometric
Contraction researchers agreed that weekly
increases in strength averaged about 5 percent
per week, there certainly were exceptions.
Obeck's student who went from 3 repeti-
tions with 3 pounds to 10 repetitions with
15 pounds in the course of one month
using Isometric training alone had an
increase in his functional strength of 500
percent and a simultaneous increase in
muscular endurance of more than 300
percent. This was obviously exceptional,
and the young man who achieved these
results was highly motivated. Thus, based
on his own studies, Obeck believed it was
possible to greatly surpass the average
strength increases of the Max Planck
research subjects and to even double
strength within a relatively short period
of time.
This was also verified by another Iso-
metric researcher, Professor James A. Baley
of the University of Connecticut. Baley
agreed wholeheartedly with Obeck and
stated his observations on several occa-
sions. In his Illustrated Guide to Developing · assertion is absolutely false. Isometrics,
Athletic Strength, Power, and Agility, Baley
stated, liThe same results can be achieved
in a twenty-five minute session with
Isometrics as can in a two-hour session . is a perfect example.
with barbells./I In fact, when Professor
Baley put Isometrics to the test with a
class of college students at the University
of Connecticut, the Isometric training
group improved three times faster than the
· sports training group on tests measuring
· increases in strength, endurance, coordina-
tion, and agility.
1'4'.1'" you ("" MAKF
•
•
. III-III
ILLUSTRATED
GUIDE TO
. DEVELOPING
ATHLETIC
STRENGTH,
. POWER AND
. AGILITY
by -James A. Baley
•
.
I especially like to shine a spotlight on the
increased endurance benefits of Isometrics
that both Obeck and Baley verified.
Why? Because one of the biggest myths
perpetuated about Isometric training is
that it will not increase endurance. That
when properly applied, can and will build
phenomenal muscular endurance. Obeck's
student, who was mentioned previously,
A CONCISE HISTORY OF ISOMETRIC CONTRACTION I 63
 BOB HOFFMAN
Captain America and the "Cold War"

A
lthough the heyday of Isometric training in the
U.S. was from 1960 to 1968, it had actually
been used by the American Olympic Weight-
lifting Team soon after 1954 with spectacular results. At
the time, Bob Hoffman, founder of The York Barbell
Company in York, Pennsylvania, was the coach of the
Olympic team. During that Cold War era, the Soviets
were dominating in weightlifting at both the Olympics
and the World Championships, which Hoffman regarded
with sheer contempt. Bob Hoffman was known as the world's

64 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

most patriotic egomaniac, a totally self- : Soviets were using to train his American
made man who worshiped his creator and • athletes. Sure enough, the results were
as a man who hated to lose, and it showed! • extraordinary, and it wasn't long before
He so hated to lose that he was willing
to do anything to win, especially to beat
the Soviets. In fact, if he had had his
way, America would have nuked the
Soviet Union during the Soviet Missile
Crisis in 1962! But back in the 1950s
the only way Hoffman could have hi~
victory over the Soviets was in the arena
of weightlifting. When his U.S. team
had their "butts handed to them" by the
Soviets in 1954, Hoffman was furious.
He immediately enlisted his friend, Dr.
John Ziegler, who was the physician to
the U.S. Olympic Weightlifting Team,
to find out how it was possible that
the Soviets had so humiliated the
Americans. It wasn't long before Ziegler
had the answers. It came down to two
factors. First, the Soviets were using a
new training method that German
doctors had developed called "Isometrics."
An d , second, the Soviets were using
synthetic derivatives of testosterone
with which they were injecting their
weightlifters. Bottom line: the Soviets
were using steroids.
• used to say,
As soon as Hoffman found out, he didn't •
blow the whistle on the Soviets for .
doping. Instead, he had Dr. Ziegler work
with CIBA Pharmaceuticals to develop
far better steroids than anything the
Soviets were taking and to also use the
Isometric training techniques that the •
. Hoffman's U.S. teams were beating the
. Soviets. But, being the shrewd man who
• he was, Hoffman kept everything hidden.
: He even had Dr. Ziegler tell his lifters
• that they were receiving Vitamin B12
. shots so they would not resist taking
. steroids for fear of long-term health
consequences that were unknown in 1954.
•
. As far as Hoffman being afraid of a drug
. scandal back in the late 1950s and early
. 1960s, he wasn't. His reasoning was
actually quite logical: "What are they
. [the Soviets] gonna do, tell the judges
. that our guys are using better dope than
• theirs?" Still, Hoffman wasn't about
. to tell the American public that our
weightlifters were using steroids, so he
• told a half truth-our guys were using a
• new strength training method called
: "Functional Isometric Contraction," in
• order to shatter the existing weightlifting
. records of the day.
One other thing about Bob Hoffman.
Those who knew him said he was
"basically an honest guy." Hearing that,
my grandfather's friend, Uncle Wally,
"WHEN A MAN SAYS HE'S
basically honest, that means
HE ONLY LIES WHEN
HE NEEDS TO."
A CONCISE HISTORY OF ISOMETRIC CONTRACTION I 65
 THE ISOMETRIC BOOM OF
THE 19605
By the 1960s, Isometrics had became a
phenomenally popular method of strength
building for athletes in all sports, moving •
well beyond the weightlifting crowd. In
fact, in 1961, Mickey Mantle and Roger
Maris, who were roommates when the
New York Yankees were on the road, were
• Fitness Without Effort, The Lazy Man 's
both using Isometrics during their famous
home run derby. Ultimately, Maris won
with a grand total of 61 and became the
first man to eclipse Babe Ruth's record of
60 home runs that had been set in 1927.
Oddly enough, when the endorsers were
looking for a baseball star to endorse a new
Isometric exerciser, they turned to Mickey
Mantle rather than Roger Maris. Why?
Because the public loved Mantle, and the
Mick was the man whom the public
wanted to be the first to top Babe Ruth's
r.ecord. When that didn't happen, many
fans actually turned against Roger Maris.
But in addition to Mickey Mantle, there
were also other athletes and celebrities
66 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION
who endorsed Isometric exercises. Even
President Kennedy practiced Isometrics
on a daily basis on the advice of the
White House physician. To Kennedy, it
was nothing new. He was just resuming
the Charles Atlas exercises that he had
used some 20 years previous.
By 1964, the Isometric rage was in full
swing in America, and there were books
and magazines on newsstands everywhere
with idiotic titles, such as Isometrics: Total
Guide to PhysicaL Fitness, and many, many
more. While some books were better than
others, many were written by people who
obviously didn't know a true Isometric
Contraction from a hole in the ground .
Hence, the ridiculous titles.
• This brings up a point I want to reiterate.
The words easy and Isometric Contraction
should never be used in the same sentence
unless the person is saying that Isometric
•
exercises are easy to learn. That part may
be true. BUT no way are they easy to do! Just
the opposite is true. Isometrics are not
•
even remotely easy to do. They require a
laser-like focus with deep concentration
and require that you exert yourself from 7
to 12 seconds at roughly two-thirds of
your maximum strength. Of course, there
are other Isometric protocols that are
shorter in duration, such as 1 to 2 seconds
at 95 to 100 percent of one's strength, but
doing so could also put one at risk of
severe injury. So those are not recommended
• in this book as practical for our purposes.
Another Isometric protocol is what has
been coined Aerobic Isometrics" by
1/
strongman Steve Justa, a man for whom I martial arts fame. Lee had injured his
have great respect. Mr. Justa recommends back so severely in a weight training
Isometrics of all durations and intensities accident that he never lived another
with some performed at 35 percent of . day without agonizing pain. (It's been
perceived maximum strength and held for substantiated that prescription painkillers
30 seconds to several minutes. This is were implicated in his death.) After the
what he refers to as "Aerobic" Isometrics, accident, Bruce Lee became an Isometric
and trust me, those are tough. More on · fanatic and experimented with every
Steve Justa to come. variable of intensity and duration
imaginable. The resuIt was a "ripped to
· the bone" muscularity that was incredible
• to behold, even though he did not
have great muscular size. At 5'7", Mr.
Lee weighed less than 140 pounds.
Nonetheless, Chuck Norris, the martial
artist and movie/TV star, said that Bruce
Lee was the strongest man of his size
· whom he had ever met. And the reason
for it? Isometrics!

So what kind of Isometrics did Bruce Lee

· perform? That's where Steve Justa comes
in. In his masterful book, Rock, Iron, Steel,
which was published in 1998, Justa
recounted one Isometric technique that
· Bruce Lee sometimes practiced that I had
never read about. Here's how it's done.
Take a 3-pound steel ball and hold it in
· your palm with your arm straight out in
· front of you and fingers pointing down.
As soon as your arm tires, switch to the
other arm in exactly the same position
Bnlce Lee, 011 the set of olle of his martial arts movies
· while allowing the tired arm to rest.
Isometrics were used to great effect by a Continue to switch back and forth.
wide range of people from all walks of life . Sounds easy enough, right? Anyone can
during the 1960s. They were even used • do it, right? Okay, now here's the kicker.
by some doctors to treat hypertension Do it for 8 hours straight without a
successfully. One celebrity who turned to break. Seriously, that's exactly what
Isometrics was the late Bruce Lee of Bruce Lee did.

A CONCISE HISTORY OF ISOMETRIC CONTRACTION I 67

 What do you suppose the results of such about it. Even though 3S percent may not
an extreme Isometric exercise would be? . sound all that intense, I assure you from
Even with a weight that light, over the personal experience that as the muscle
course of time the entire body would fibers begin fatiguing and new ones are
come into play. You'd literally be pulling recruited, it isn't long before even the
from your toes to the top of your head, very deepest muscle fibers are engaged.
and after 8 hours the effect it would give And the result? Welt several members of
your whole body-and I mean your whole the Bronze Bow forum have applied these
body-would be that it would feel like a . same techniques of Aerobic Isometrics to
steel cable, like it is one unit of rock-hard pull-ups and other exercises, and to a man
strength and muscle. But even if you : they all agree with me that their muscular
wanted to duplicate such an extreme strength, definition, and endurance go
endeavor, who has that much time? This through the roof.
is where Steve Justa came up with his con- But perhaps best of all is the carryover to
cept of Aerobic Isometrics, where one uses everyday, real world functional strength
a perceived 3S percent of maximum con- that these exercises will enhance to a
traction and holds it for periods of up to 3 tremendous extent. To make the point
minutes or even longer if you're fanatical perfectly, let me give you another example

Steve Justa m odeling his aile of a killd weight vest

68 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

from Steve Justa's book, where he devotes hay than when he started. Quite literally,
an entire chapter to Isometrics. According although he could lift weights that were
to Justa, an avid strength trainee who lifts twice as heavy, there was little if any
tremendous weights as well as odd objects carryover.
such as 4S0-pound barrels, Isometrics
• Then something clicked. He remembered
gave him functional strength that he . Bruce Lee and Isometrics. So instead of
simply could not acquire from weightlift-
· lifting weights, he pushed, pulled, and
ing. He tells the story about baling hay for
pried against an immovable object with
a man who was half his size and had
· no weight training at all for 3 months .
Bruce Lee type of muscular definition, but
He tried widely varied intensities and
who was at least twice as strong as Justa
durations. And the result? Within 3
in this form of manual labor. Justa desper-
months his hay baling strength had
ately wanted to keep up with this man,
improved by 40 percent. So think it
through . No improvement in 2 years on
the heavy weights. Forty percent better
within 3 months of Isometrics. That, to
me, my friends, is one of the primary ben-
· efits of Isometric strength training and
· muscle sculpting. Simply put, Isometrics
make you functionally stronger in a way
• that nothing else can. And when your
muscles become so much stronger in a
· functional sense as a result of Isometric
training, you'll start experiencing what
· so many of my students have stated-
· your body will feel so much lighter and
you will have greater endurance. Why?
· Because when you double your strength
with Isometrics, your body will feel half
· as heavy, and you'll find that you move
with greater economy and a new spring
in your step.
and despite two years of the most intense •
and brutal heavy weight training imagi- · This brings us to the next major benefit of
nable, in which his weightlifting · Isometric Contraction for strength build-
strength doubled, Justa was shocked to ing. And what might that be? How does
discover that he was no stronger in baling . Perpetual Youth sound?

A CONCISE HISTORY OF ISOMETRIC CONTRACTION I 69

 PAUL BRAGG & NOEL JOHNSON
Proof Thot Growin' Old Ain't for Sissies!

PAUL BRAGG'S BUILT TO LAST FORMULA

FOR ETERNAL YOUTH

T
hroughout the 1960s and into the mid 1970s, a
physical culturist by the name of Paul Bragg was
becoming something of a cult figure. At the time
of his premature death due to a surfing accident in
1976, Bragg was 9S years old and considered by many to
be the personification of everything he taught. Handsome
and muscula r, Bragg was a prolific author, having written
more than 20 books on all facets of physical culture.

70 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

If you've read Bragg's books, you know that with a following that included Jack La
he wrote with the voice of experience. In • Lanne (who credits Bragg with saving his
fact, as a young teen he had nearly died of . life), Olympic athletes, movie stars, as well
tuberculosis, but through a program of care- . as people from all walks of life.
fully applied physical culture he was not
· So what exactly was Bragg's perpetual youth
only completely made well but was a beauti- . formula?
fully sculpted young athlete by the time he .
turned 20 in 1901. He became a physical . First, he taught deep breathing (just as I
culture writer and researcher for Bernarr • teach in this book) as the preeminent
MacFadden's Physical CuLture magazine. • requirement for lifelong strength and
· youthfulness. In fact, he was quick to point
As a magazine correspondent, Bragg trav-
• out that deep breathing more than any-
eled the entire world in Indiana Jones' .
· thing else was responsible for his return to
fashion. But rather than search for the
· health and becoming the personification
Lost Ark of the Covenant, Bragg was look-
of manly strength and fitness.
ing for the secrets-the real secrets-of
perpetual strength and youthfulness. And . He also taught the importance of holistic
slowly but surely, piece by piece, he dis- natural nutrition. And though he was crit-
covered the answers during his worldwide . icized by some for not being a strict vege-
travels and wrote and lectured about tarian, he was quick to point out that the
them. Eventually, he became one of the healthiest and most long-lived people
most widely regarded physical culturists, • whom he had met in his worldwide travels

Learn to Uoe In A&eIessness with

BRAGG'S COMPLETE
LIFE EXTENSION PROGRAM
Fasting is the
gnaJ,st remedy,
the physician
willUn.
""'-
"'" -., ""*'-

A CONCISE HISTORY OF ISOMETRIC CONTRACTION I 71

 were not strict vegetarians. When chal-
lenged even further, he noted that
humans have pepsin in their stomachs,
which both carnivorous and omnivorous
animals in the wild have, but vegetarian
animals do not. The bottom line was that
this man was so knowledgeable that there
was no way that anyone was going to win
an argument with him. Bragg even wrote
• the Merv Griffin television show shortly
a book titled, The Shocking Truth About
· before his death, the first thing he did was
Water:, in which he detailed everything we
now know about the importance of pure
fresh water for health and longevity. That
was more than 40 years ago!
Slim and muscular Palll Bragg at the age of92
As far as exercise goes, Bragg taught a
series of calisthenic exercises for every
muscle group as well as Isometrics, which
he taught as the ultimate form of strength
building exercise in his book, Building
Health and Youthfulness. Simply put, Paul
72 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION
Bragg was light years ahead of his time,
just as Swoboda and MacFadden had
been. Had it not been his premature death
in 1975 at the age of 95, one can only
wonder how long he would have lived.
He might still be surfing.
Was he really in that excellent of shape?
When Bragg was introduced as a guest on
challenge Merv to /lGo ahead and hit me
in the abdomen as hard as you can. But be
careful to not break your wrist . From /I
then on Bragg had the crowd eating out of
his hand.
On a final note, when interviewed by
People magazine when he as 94 years old,
Bragg was asked at what age a man loses
his sexual desire for beautiful women. The
writer of the article said that Bragg looked
• him right in the eye and said, /lYou'll have
to ask somebody else that question. I'm
only 94 ./1 And then he winked.
NOEL JOHNSON-A DUD AT 70,
· A STUD AT 80
In August 1979, my friend Linda Wilkinson
introduced me to a remarkable man . His
name was Noel Johnson, and he was 80
• years old-or should I say 80 years young?
• At the time, Noel had recently won a gold
medal for boxing in the Senior Olympics,
· having decked a 40-year-old man on the
way to the title, and he was looking for-
ward to running in the New York City
Marathon in October of that year. To say
that Noel was extraordinary would be an
understatement. In truth, his story was
extraordinary in many ways.
Noel was born on July 7, 1899, in Heron too little exercise, too many cigarettes, and
Lake, Minnesota. He grew up on a farm too much alcohol.
and was strong and healthy as a youngster.
As the years zoomed by, Noel
When he was in his mid teens, he ordered
developed a mild heart con-
the mail-order correspondence course from
dition that became worse
Farmer Burns, "Lessons in Wrestling and
and worse along with
Physical Culture/' and became an excellent
the accompanying
wrestler. A few years later, he ordered the high blood pressure,
famous Earle Liederman Muscle Building • gout, arthritis, bur-
Course. sitis, hemorrhoids,
Although he enjoyed wrestling, Noel soon and a host of other
discovered he had a natural talent for box- • chronic diseases. He
ing and was able to parlay his physical • told me he was tak-
gifts into a promising career as a profes- • ing so many medica-
sionallightweight boxer. His only serious • tions that he finally
problem was that as he knocked out one • asked his doctor, "What's
opponent after another, it became harder the blue pill for?" The doc-
and harder to find opponents close to • tor said it was there to
home who were willing to get in the ring remind him to take all the
with him. Not only that, but the managers • others. Worse yet, when he
of other fighters were absolutely adamant finally reached retirement
about keeping their fighters away from age, all the things he intended
him for fear he would knock them out. · to do and all the places he
Promoters took note of him and before intended to go with his Noellohnsoll
beloved wife, Zola, were no at the age 0(90
long were warning to watch out for
"Battlin' Blue Eyes." So that meant he had longer possible. Why? Read this short
excerpt from Noel's book, A Dud at 70, a
to travel farther from home in order to •
Stud at 80.
find promoters and managers who didn't
know who he was. , ' When I went to work for Convair
in 1939, I weighed 130 pounds and
Noel fought until age 33, leaving the ring in
was in relatively good health.
1932 to take a job with Texaco Oil in
Looking back now and with the
California and focus on raising a family. It
advantage of hindsight, I expect my
wasn't long before he and his family were
body began to really deteriorate
living the typical American lifestyle, and
about the time I stopped fighting
not long before he started packing on the
professionally. There was no longer
pounds and losing his beautifully chiseled •
the urgency to keep in shape, and
physique. But he was realizing the American
our lifestyle, the average American
dream, right? That included too much food ,

A CONCISE HISTORY OF ISOMETRIC CONTRACTION I 73

 "good life," included smoking, eating
anything and everything I wanted,
and a lot of social drinking. When
. Shortly after Noel's retirement began, his
I retired in 1964, 25 years later, I
weighed 170 pounds and was in bad
. the time he was 70, Noel was alone. But still
physical condition.
The result was
inevitable. There
is just no way
you or I or anyone
else can ignore
the basic laws of
nature and not
wind up in the
same shape I
found myself in
at age 65. Lack of
exercise, coupled
with nutritionally
empty dead food,
alcohol, and tobacco, made me a
complete dud. Although Zola and
T had many interesting things we
really wanted to do after I retired, we
never got to do any of them . Neither
one of us had the energy or the get-
up-and-go to leave the house and
enjoy our plans. Out of the main-
stream of life, we were retired from
everything.' ,
Perhaps you're wondering, e'mon, fohn,
what does this have to do with Isometrics?
Well, I'll tell you what, just hang tight
and I'll get to that. I am sharing Noel's
story with you because I want to motivate .
you to take your life, all facets of your life,
very seriously. I assure you that if you do
nothing to take charge of your health and
74 I ISOMETRIC POWERReVOLUTION
fitness, you'll end up just like Noel. Now
back to his story.
wife, Zola, had a series of strokes, and by
something stirred in him, and he wasn't
about to give up on life or love. This is how
he describes what happened next in his
,'I
book (page 59).
finally did something I had been
carefully avoiding for a long time. I
thought. I used the intelligence the
Creator had given me. My mind was
as rusty and unused as my body, but I
persisted and gradually ideas began
to form .
I was very clear on what I didn't
want. I didn't want to be a burden to
my children. I didn't want to be bed-
ridden and helpless. I felt it was still
my personal responsibility to take
charge of my own life and health,
and I didn't want to turn that respon-
sibility over to anyone else.
First, I stripped down and looked in
the mirror. All the classic signs of
aging and ill-health were there. I was
overweight, with a bulging gut, lack-
luster eyes, with unused muscles
hanging slack. I looked defeated. But
I used to be a fighter, and the thought
"defeated" stirred something in my
ego. Here I was, about to give up and
take the count. I decided then and
there to beat the bell and come out
swinging. They can't count you out
when you're trying.' ,
 .........-.1 .hI'...... aot"""" til _ _ • ., __ I
miles, 385 yards), the mile, and the 10,000-
1WIot_~""'_"'.'<>'~\II;."",,,,,

=::
.........., ......... """' _ _ ,,"'... ....::, "Old...,.
::-~Ioor~~f':::''''''
bIoIA'rn. .. _ .. _I_ ... ...,
.._lorw ... 01 meter races.
..pl ...... ~OCICM"'te . ..,;,tOn
(iI"'I)I'tI.......... "'t.ftd~1
ttoe .... OMDlltIo.~ . .
At>oI .... _" ... ,.'"IO ..~
. . . . " .. , .., .... I1" ...p" From there, Noel decided he wanted to
lanll~"'''*' ..... t...-...I_
~;O'~'II~.r::~
COuld""' ....... II" q .... ,\1tf of. resume boxing. But in order to do that, he
, _"ltd_t ... ,..,,,It...
,..,je ..
INII
KlWlClltlKk
pwI .... W,

':.;::'J.~="J.Ict..:i~1:.., .. ,..- ....ftd~ . needed to dramatically increase his punch-

~:~::!.!::.'.::=~~t:,~~

_ ..........--.--.. ....,.......,---
"-"._"""~""'""-_"-"-" ing strength and power. So he contacted
~-
---~
- . "';
~~=..::
"'-_
,. ... .. ..... ... ........
......... ... '""'.- Paul Bragg in Hawaii and arranged to pay
:.'-::.:c: :.:::-:.-,.: him a visit. When Noel met Bragg in 1973,
=!Lr=~1C
fPoo _ _ _ _ _ ..... _J
he said he could hardly believe it. Here was
Noel was featllred all five million Wheaties boxes in 1977.
a 92-year-old man (18 years Noel's senior)
"BATTLlN' BLUE EYES" MAKES who was the personification of strength,
fitness, and vibrant energy! As they talked,
A COMEBACK!
Noel asked Bragg what he would recom-
Immediately after making his decision to
. mend to give himself" an edge" in boxing.
"come out swinging/' Noel took action. He
went to the World of Health food store and Without missing a beat, Bragg told him
talked with a knowledgeable woman about Isometrics. And Bragg actually showed him
his present condition and told her what he the right selection of Isometric exercises to
intended to do about it. When he asked maximize his punching power.
her if she had any recommendations, she The rest is history. Noel went on to win
said, "Follow me." When they got to the and defend his boxing title year after year
book section of the store, she pointed to a and was a champion all the way. His radio
series of books that she said were exactly interviews and television appearances were
what he needed. They were the "Physical . the stuff of legends, and he was even fea-
Culture" library of Paul Bragg. tured on five million Wheaties Breakfast of
Noel told me that he tore into the Bragg Champions boxes that profiled his extraor-
books and couldn't get enough. Everything dinary exploits.
Bragg said made perfect sense. He started . When Noel went to be with the Lord in
eating right, exercising right, and before
1995 at the age of 96, one thing is certain:
long every debilitating health condition he
after turning his life around at the age of
had experienced over the past 40 years
70, Noel Johnson was living proof for more
vanished-totally disappeared . So much so
than 25 years, as had been his friend Paul
that in 1971, at the age of 73, newspapers
Bragg, that "growin' old ain't for sissies."
all over California were running articles
about him with titles such as "Superman Is Well, that's it for the History of Isometrics.
Studied at UCD" (University of California There are many scientific papers that
at Davis). The articles emphasized that he I could have referenced, but the way I see
had won three gold medals in the Senior it, if you're not convinced by now, you
Olympics that year-for the marathon (26 . never will be.

A CONCISE HISTORY OF ISOMETRIC CONTRACTION I 75

____________~~__~__~__~~c HAP T E R T H R E
 ~~or---~--~ CHAPTER
________ __- -
~ THREE

NUTRITION for HEALTH,

STRENGTH, & LIFELONG VITALITY

I
n my previous books, Pushing Yourself to Power, The
Miracle Seven, and the 60 Day Personal Power Health
and Fitness Journal, I outlined complete nutritional
strategies for the expressed purpose of losing excess
body fat on the hurry-up while giving your body
everything necessary to build lithe, beautifully sculpted
muscle. In this book, however, I focus on helping you
discover for yourself the best and most optimum way to
feed and nourish yourself for health, strength, and vibrant
lifelong vitality. So with this in mind, please read on.

78 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

Just about everyone knows and scientific
research supports the fact that what we
eat affects every aspect of our lives. Think
about it. That means that what we ingest
affects our physical energy, our mind and
moods, and our longevity. Thus, it's obvi-
ous that we need to pay attention to
what, when, and how we eat.
Yet I want to warn you about making diet
and nutrition too great a preoccupation.
As my grandfather and Uncle Wally used
to tell me, "If you become too obsessed
and fanatical with purity and dietary disci-
pline, you'll drive yourself nuts, Jackson.
And the stress alone is gonna kill you. II
So, friends, don't get lost in the
details of good nutrition-how
many calories this or that
food has or whether the pro-
tein and carbohydrates
are in perfectly balanced
ratios. Instead, I recom-
mend focusing on the
seven key nutritional princi-
ples that follow in this chap-
ter. But first, let's overview
how your chosen nutritional
strategy can impact both the length
and quality of your life.
NUTRITION AND LONGEVITY
Some gerontologists suggest that longeVity
depends upon genetics. Others disagree. .
Studies of the diets, physical activities, and
lifestyles of other cultures whose people
live extremely long lives suggest that our
genetic inheritance may create a tendency • and energy of life also contribute to its
to live a longer or shorter life, but that we
also have the ability to maximize our . wants to sign up for a long, slow, and
genetic potential through the choices
. we make.
•
• My conclusions are based on the scientific
· research conducted by Dr. Kenneth
· Pelletier and Paul Bragg. Dr. Pelletier
•
studied the Vilca-bamba people of
.
· Ecudorian Andes, the Hunza people of
• northern Pakistan, the Mabaan people of
. Sudan, the Abkhazian people in the
• former Soviet Union, and the Tarahumara
• Indians of northern Mexico (known for
. their foot races that last up to 100 miles
: and more). Each of these distinct groups
. is known for their longevity, with many
men and women living
well past the century
mark. They are also
well known for
the complete
lack of the
degenerative
diseases that
are normally
associated with
"aging" in the
industrialized
Western countries of
the world. In fact, some
of these people are known to
live well into the 115- to 120-year range
· without disabilities. So Dr. Pelletier deemed
· them worthy of serious study.
Perhaps most important of all was that
Dr. Pelletier found that the same exact
factors that contribute toward the quantity
quality. This is great news! After all, who
NUTRITION FOR HEALTH, STRENGTH, AND UFELONG VITALITY I 79
 painful decline, just creaking along for 2,000 calories per day by contrast to the
the last 50 or more years until you die? . average Westerner's 3,200 to 3,500 calo-
Certainly not me . On the other hand, . ries per day. Even more important is the
when life is filled with joy and vitality, source of the calories. For instance, just
each day brings yet another opportunity . one piece of pecan pie contains 800 calo-
to experience LIFE and all of its blessings · ries, and almost all those calories come
to the fullest, which holds great appeal to • from refined sugar and fat. Contrast that
me. Bottom line: Dr. Pelletier's research · to a large Granny Smith apple that has
proved beyond all doubt that the most only 100 calories and far greater nutri-
effective way to increase both the quality tional value, and it is easy to see the dif-
and quantity of life is through the nutri- ference. Nonetheless, please note that this
tional choices we make. practice of systematic under eating does
not apply to growing children, people
SEVEN GOLDEN KEYS TO · with very lean body types, pregnant or
NUTRITIONAL FITNESS lactating women, those with high meta-
The following guidelines do not require . bolic rates or caloric expenditures, such as
sudden changes in your lifestyle that can- . athletes or laborers, and certainly not for
not be maintained. To the contrary, abrupt · those with eating disorders.
changes have a way of changing back to
bad old habits rather quickly. If you think
I'm wrong about that, ask yourself how
·2 DON'T OVER
• CONSUME PROTEIN
many New Year's resolutions you were ever . Here in the U.S., many people
able to maintain long term . Point made. . worry about getting
Instead, these practices involve a gradual . enough protein.
adaptation to a new and enlivening However, the
lifestyle as you pay attention to what reality is that
you eat and how you feel afterward. The . many people
goal is to find the foods that work best . are consuming
for you and to avoid the extremes of self- protein far in
denial and self-indulgence. You create excess of their
this lifestyle by applying the following body's needs . High
principles. protein intake places tre-
mendous stress on the internal organs
EAT BETTER FOOD WHILE
I • CONSUMING FEWER CALORIES
to process it as well as makes a person
feel lethargic and sluggish. This is due
Moderate, systematic under eating with . in part to the fact that protein and fat
higher quality food may be the single literally go hand in hand when it comes
most important dietary practice of all. . to consuming large amounts of animal
Long-lived peoples consume 1,800 to protein.

80 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTI ON

One of the things Dr. Pelletier discovered
was that virtually all of the long-lived
peoples consume about half the protein
of the average Westerner, with the vast
majority of them being near vegetarians
whose protein comes mainly from grains,
legumes, and dairy products. These peo-
pIe almost never eat red meat and only
small amounts of fish or poultry, yet the
benefits are undeniable . Long-lived peo-
ple have far lower cholesterol levels,
almost no coronary disease, and virtually
no osteoporosis. So they're obviously on
to something that can make a huge differ-
ence in how we look and feel.
ENJOY A WIDE VARIETY OF
3 • NOURISHING FOODS
Whenever possible buy organically
grown natural foods and stay
away from those that
are genetically altered.
For instance, many
of today's large
farming conglom-
erates use geneti-
cally altered grains
in order to maxi-
mize grain yields. As
a result, each kernel
of wheat is perfectly
uniform and has the
exact same amino acid pro-
file. But if you were to visit one of the
organic wheat farms in the Caucasus
Mountains in Russia, home of the long-
lived Hunza people, you'd find something
totally different. Here the wheat fields
contain different sizes and colors of
plants, genetically diverse wheat with a
variety of amino acids that combine into
• complete protein . This is also true of
• organically grown wheat here in the U.S.
and Canada. This principle applies to far
. more than wheat, of course. Anyone who
. eats a varied diet of different organically
grown seasonal fruits, vegetables, grains,
and legumes is guaranteed abundant pro-
tein, vitamins, and minerals.
TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS
4 • AND DON'T BE AFRAID
TO EXPERIMENT
It has been documented in many research
experiments conducted by nutritional
scientists that young children, when
exposed to a variety of food groups
over time, choose a well-balanced
diet with the nutrients they need.
Unfortunately, few of us were ever
allowed to trust our instincts, relying
instead on what we were taught by
our parents, sold through advertis-
ing, or picked up in theories from a
variety of diet books that often were
contradictory. The truth is that our
instincts have often been distorted
through no fault of our own,
whether that involved a limited
selection of food in the home while
. growing up, television advertising, or peer
. pressure to conform.
.
. But that was then and this is now, and as an
adult, you can take control and do something
about it. You can sharpen your instincts
through exercise and fasting, as well as by
adding and subtracting different kinds of
NUTRInON FOR HEALTH. STRENGTH. AND LIFELONG VITALITY I R1
 foods from your dietary strategy and then Fasting provides a rest for the digestive
paying close attention to how you feel system, generates a physical cleansing,
after eating. This is one of the surest ways detoxifying effect, improves immune
of combining natural instinct with aware- function, affords extra time for prayer,
ness and discovering the optimal diet that reflection, and contemplation, and
is right for you. Bottom line: you don't relieves the subconscious mind of fear by
need anyone's permission. You can trust providing the secure knowledge that if
your body over any harebrained theories you ever have to go without food for
or systems. days, you can do so. Nonetheless, in
• spite of its myriad health benefits, fast-
PRACTICE PERIODIC
5 • CLEANSING OR FASTING
One of the greatest physical culturists
ing is not recommended for growing
children, pregnant and lactating disor-
ders, or lean ectomorphic body types
who ever lived was Paul Bragg, N.D., who • with high metabolisms . Nor is it a
died prematurely as a result of a surfing
weight-loss method.
accident at the age of 95. As noted in the
history section, Dr. Bragg was a powerfully Before starting a fast, be sure to read Dr.
built man who practiced Isometric Paul Bragg's The Miracle of Fasting or
Contraction and taught it to his students Fasting Made Simple by Paula White. If you
worldwide in his numerous books and have any doubts or medical problems,
seminars. In addition to "cutting edge" consult a health professional familiar
exercise for lifelong health and youthful- with fasting.
ness, Dr. Bragg was also a world-class
nutritionist who believed in
and taught the almost
miraculous benefits of
periodic fasting. In fact,
fasting, or going with-
out food for one or
more days while drink-
ing plenty of water and
fruit juices, is a time-hon-
ored practice in nearly Fosting is the
greoJest ~,"edy,
every spiritual tradition. the phYsiciIUI
For example, the prophets lI'idUJI.
Moses and Elijah as well as
;c.::,,.....
the Lord Jesus Christ com-
pleted 40-day fasts accord- Paula White
ing to Scripture.

82 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

 ENJOY MORE RAW FRUITS · bite as though it was the only one you'd
6 • AND VEGETABLES have all day. Put down your knife and
Increasing the proportion of fresh, · fork between each bite and allow your
uncooked vegetables and fruits in your ·• body to relax and enjoy. (Don't worry, I
diet provides unprocessed nutrients in • haven't succeeded at this one either.)
their most direct form, with a complete
array of live enzymes that help you
assimilate the food you eat. These .
high-moisture content foods .
also provide fiber neces-
sary for good elim- .
ination. Eating
mostly or exclu- .
sively raw foods
naturally promotes •
weight loss, while insuring high-quality
nutrition and vitality. Eating raw fruits
and vegetables exclusively for a period of .
time has much the same cleansing effect
as periodic fasting.

PAY ATTENTION TO HOW

1 • YOU EAT AND DRINK
How you eat is nearly as important as
what you eat. This was a paint driven
home in the world famous Charles Atlas
Dynamic Tension Body Building Course,
and it is just as true today. Mr. Atlas was · and you have to find what works best for
quick to point out that a few simple
habits can enhance your digestion and
help you derive the most value from the
food you consume. One of his key princi-
ples was to chew your food very well and
to breathe very deeply while eating, savor-
ing the taste, texture, and aroma as you
chew. He literally advised to chew each
Ultimately, just as with your practice of
Isometric exercise, you are the final
authority over how you feed your body,
you. Always favor experimentation over
rigid rules prescribed by someone else.
Remember, just as with your Isometric
exercises, good nutrition involves lifelong
learning and application, and no other
person could possibly know what is best
for you, so it's important that you become
your own most reliable expert.
__________________----------~Cli .P T QUR

Answers for the Questions You Have

Now or May Have in the Future

How many variations of Isometric

exercises are there?

Nill Isometric Contraction give me

o bodybuilder's physique?

Do Isometrics pose the same (lsk

of Injury as other forms
of strength training?
 C HAP T-=
E~R __~
F _O U

SOMETR c Q & A S
Answers for the Questions You H a ve Now
or May Have in the Future

I
n the next several pages you'll find more than a
dozen of the most frequently asked questions that
I have received regarding Isometric Contraction.
Because they have been asked by so many over the past
three years, it's obvious to me that these are in fact the
most important ones to answer.

86 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

 question #1
How lon g should each Isometric Contraction be
he I d for ma x imum effectiveness?

The length of an Isometric Contraction is totally dependent upon the level of intensity.
The greater the intensity-in other words, the closer you are to exerting 100 percent of
your available strength-the shorter the duration.
According to Dr. Theodore Hettinger, who performed the original Isometric Studies
during the late '40s and '50s with Dr. E. A. Mueller at the Max Planck Institute in
Dortmund, Germany, if you are using 100 percent of your strength, the contraction
needs to be held for only 1 to 2 seconds. If your muscles are contracting at 40 to 50
percent of maximum perceived strength, a duration of 15 to 20 seconds was recommended
by Hettinger.
In recent years, Strongman Steve Justa has coined the term Aerobic Isometrics and
recommends contractions of 35 percent of perceived strength to be held from 2 to 5
minutes. I have several friends who have tried this method with excellent results.
The duration or time of contraction is strictly dependent upon the intensity of the
contraction.

maximum contract ion per day

10 15 20 25 30 35 40

Number of training stimuli per week

EFFECT OF MUSCLE TRAINING IN PROPORTION

TO NUM BER OF STIMULI
Hellinger, Miiller
Figure 5 from Dr. Theodore Hettinger's book, The Physiology of Strength
 ~\"~11". ~

question #1
Will Isometric Contraction give me a
bodybuilder's physique?

While Isometric Contraction can be invaluable in building superior strength and

helping you achieve a beautifully sculpted musculature, there are other factors
besides exercise alone that determine to what extent you develop your physique. But
to answer your question directly, no, Isometric Contraction alone will not make you
look like a bodybuilder juiced up on steroids. It flat out won't happen.

Mark Baldwin, age 38 Chris RezIlY, age 42

On the other hand, by spending 30 to 45 minutes each day, combining 10 to 15

minutes of Isometrics with our Power Calisthenics and DVR/DSR exercises, you
can achieve a beautifully sculpted, perfectly balanced physique as is exemplified
by my friends and students, personal trainer Mark Baldwin and Chris Rezny (pictured
above). As you can see, both men are very muscular-not in the rococo, overly
developed, almost freakish manner of contemporary bodybuilders who are, in
fact, juiced up on steroids, but in the practical wayan athletic animal such as
a thoroughbred racehorse is muscular. In other words, you're going to look like a
beautifully conditioned athlete.

88 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

 question #3
Is it true that Isometrics can cause a
dangerous elevation in blood pressure?

Over the past two years, I have received numerous e-mails asking me this question.
For this reason, I have written a chapter that deals with this issue that begins on
page 104. Nevertheless, here's a brief answer for the sake of brevity.
AIL forms of strenuous exertion will cause a short-term elevation in blood pressure.
Even raking leaves, shoveling snow, or changing a tire will do it. The real issues
surrounding the blood pressure question are (A.) Do Isometrics cause a sudden and
dangerous elevation in blood pressure? and (B.) Do Isometrics cause a long-term and
permanent elevation in blood pressure even when one is not engaged in strenuous
activities?
The answer to (A.) is that if you were to
perform sudden and extremely intense
Isometric Contractions without slowly
building the tension in your muscles until
you achieve peak contraction (in other
words, you suddenly jolt yourself into an
ultra-high intensity contraction), the
answer is yes! You could cause a sudden and
unsafe elevation in blood pressure, not to
mention the very real probability of tearing
muscles at the attachment point to their
tendons. Such an action is one that I con-
sider to be suicidally stupid. However, if you
follow the Isometric Contraction protocols
that I have outlined in this book, the
answer is a resounding no!
The answer to (B.) is also no! In fact, if you go to page 108, I provide information
about Isometric Contraction being used clinically to lower blood pressure.
BOTTOM LINE: responsible implementation of Isometric Contraction will only
benefit you.

l<li:nMI'TDI,. naa'<Ii: I QQ
 #4
que s t ion
How often do need to train with Isometrics
in order to achieve maximum results?

This is a great question that I'm frequently asked, and one that the researchers at the Max
Planck Institute tested and retested hundreds of time. The results of their research were first
published in English in 1961 with the release of Dr. Theodore Hettinger's Physiology of
Strength. The following quote is the answer he gave to the question of "how often," but
before you read it, let me clue you in on the meaning of the word abscissa (I didn't have a
clue as to what it means). Abscissa means "the horizontal coordinate of a pOint in a plane
Cartesian coordinate system obtained by measuring parallel to the x-axis."
, ' In Figure 5 the results of many experiments on many subjects are combined. The
number of training stimuli is shown in the abscissa; the increase in muscle strength
in percentage of the maximum improvement obtainable is given in the ordinate. It
was found that the maximum increase in muscle strength was obtained with one
training stimulus per day. Administering this same stimulus up to seven times a day
did not increase muscle strength any more rapidly.
Also several maximum contractions one after the
other (as many as twelve contractions in a one-
second rhythm) did not increase the strength
any faster than only one contraction. It therefore
seems that the muscle, after one training stimulus
during anyone day, is unresponsive to any further
training stimulus on the same day. When training
EFFECT OF MUSCLE TRAiNING IN PROPORTION
TO NUM BER OF snwuu sessions were held only each second day, the
Figure 5 increase in strength was about 80 percent; with
two training sessions per week, the increase was about 60 percent, and when training
sessions were held only once a week, only about 40 percent of the improvement in
strength was obtained as compared with the once-a-day regime; and one training
stimulus every 14 days produced no change at all in muscle strength. ' ,
As you can see from the results of the researchers at the Max Planck Institute, the
best all-around results were achieved with one daily Isometric Contraction. Performing
more repetitions, while not detrimental, offered no additional benefit for the acquiSi-
tion of strength. This was also true of Isometric Pulse Training, where as many as
twelve one-second maximum contractions were repeated in a one-second pulse
rhythm. Bottom line: for the acquisition of strength only, a frequency of one contrac-
tion daily gave the best results.

90 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

 question #5
Can achieve a complete workout with
Isometrics alone?

For strength building and muscle sculpting, yes! But for all-around athletic fitness,
no! Let me explain.
There are seven components to lifelong athletic strength and fitness. They are
strength, flexibility, endurance (muscular and cardiovascular), balance, coordination,
reaction time (speed), and aesthetics (how your body looks).
Isometric Contraction will develop strength and aesthetics particularly well, and
it will certainly make you strong so that your body can easily handle other exercises
that improve cardio/muscular endurance, flexibility, balance, coordination, and
speed. In fact, Strongman Steve Justa, for whom I have the utmost of respect, is
adamant that Isometrics are superior for the procurement of speed. Even so, as with
any other form of exercise, from my perspective, Isometric Contraction is best used
in combination with other types of exercise for a complete workout.
Nonetheless, I don't hesitate to recommend Isometric Contraction as a stand-alone
system of exercise if someone simply has no time for anything else. As I view it, one
has everything to gain and nothing to lose by implementing Isometrics into their
lives. After all, the vast majority of these exercises can be integrated into your daily
schedule at random moments throughout the day without it even being noticed by
other people.

.' .
 que s t ion #6
Do Isometrics pose the some risk of injury as
other forms of strength training?

If followed exactly as instructed in this book, absolutely not! In fact, Isometric

Contraction as outlined in this book is far and away the safest form of strength
building that one can follow. But here's the deal. You need to follow the method
exactLy as outlined in this book. As I mentioned previously, if you were to suddenly
jolt yourself into an intense contraction with no gradual buildup of tension, you'd
be asking for trouble. And if that were the case, it would not be Isometric
Contraction that is to blame but stupidity.
One other proof of the safety of sensibly applied Isometric Contraction is the fact
that when Drs. Hettinger and Mueller began conducting their experiments in 1946 at
the Max Plank Institute, it was for the purpose of discovering the best, safest, and
most adaptable methods of strength training to be used in helping injured soldiers to
rehabilitate injuries sustained in WWII and return to normal life.

92 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

Did Charles Atlas teach a course In Isometrics?

I've aLready answered this question in Chapter 2, but here goes.

Ever since I was a kid, I can't begin to count the number of articles that I have read
where a self-professed authority on strength and fitness has stated that Charles Atlas
taught a system of Isometric exercises. Whenever I read that assertion, it automati-
cally tells me two things. One, the expert doesn't know what he's talking about.
And, two, he has never read the Atlas Dynamic Tension Course. Atlas's course taught
self-resistance exercises that utilized one set of muscles working in opposition
against another through various ranges of motion as well as carefully selected power
calisthenics. He did not teach Isometric (static or motionless) Contraction as it was
known or taught during the late 1950s and throughout the '60s .
In fact, I have several copies of the Atlas
Dynamic Tension Course dating from the ICOULD NEVER FALL
'30s, '40s, '50s, '60s, and '70s, with one I N LOVE WITH A
dating back to its inception in 1922, and SKINNVMAN
the exercises never changed. Don't misun-
derstand my pOint. I'm not saying the
Atlas exercises could not be utilized in an
Isometric fashion. In fact, I already told
you about my uncle Milo doing Atlas exer-
cises in that fashion . My point is that Mr.
Atlas never taught them that way.

So the next time you read a so-called

expert who says that Charles Atlas taught a
system of Isometric exercises, you may as
well disregard whatever else he is saying,
because he hasn't done his homework.
And if he's wrong about that, how can you
be sure he is correct about anything else?
The skinny guy always had all eye for the
beautifUl girls in the 1930s' advertising.
 #8
que 5 t ion
How many variations of Isometric exercises
are there?

In recent years, several authors and physiologists have begun to refer to virtually
all forms of motionless exercise as "Isometrics"-for instance, "core" stabilization
exercises, such as Planks, yoga, Pilates, and Callanetics. These and other similar
exercise systems are ones that place an emphasis on holding specific body postures
and alignment in motionless positions against the force of gravity alone for up to
several minutes at a time.
Because so many "experts" are trying to lump all these motionless exercises into
the category of "Isometrics," I want to clarify and define the three types of
"Isometric" exercise that we will be using in this book. They are:
I. CIC or Classic Isometric Contraction
II. SIP or Static Isometric Postures
III. PC/P or Peak Contraction Isometric Power Flex

I. CLASSIC ISOMETRIC CONTRACTION

In the history section of this book, I referred to the Isometric Contraction

experiments that were conducted at Springfield College in Massachusetts during
the 1920s as well as those conducted by Dr. E. A. Mueller and Dr. Theodore
Hettinger at the Max Planck Institute in Dortmund, Germany, utilizing more than
5,000 volunteers from 1946 to 1960. It was from Hettinger and Mueller's ground-
breaking discoveries that Isometric Contraction was verified and quantified for
the first time, using human test subjects. As stated previously, the results were
nothing less than astounding.
For the sake of brevity, throughout this text we will
refer to Classic Isometric Contraction as the Willful
contraction of a specific muscle or muscle group
against an immovable force, object, or another mus-
cle group at ultra-high intensity. In other words,
Classic Isometric Contraction is the term that will be
used when we refer to contracting our muscles
against or in opposition to something else with such
intensity that no movement is possible. For all
intents and purposes, the muscles are in a deadlock.

94 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

 II. STATIC ISOMETRIC POSTURES

In yoga and the martial arts, as well as in certain physical therapy exercises, there is a
type of Isometric exercise that utilizes the muscles as stabilizers against the effects of
gravity. The Bridge and Planks are two primary examples. In these instances, the muscles
are not contracting against any other force or an immovable object, but they are used
isometrically to maintain proper body alignment.
This is also true for certain combination Isometric/Isotonic (or dynamic) exercises-for
instance, when you perform push-ups in perfect form as you see Gregory performing in
the photos below and on the two pages that follow. It is Isometric stabilization of the
"core" muscles that allows him to maintain a straight back from his shoulders to his
heels. So group II, Static Isometric Postures is the term used when we are performing
Isometric stabilization exercises or Isotonic exercises requiring Isometric stabilization.

STANDARD PUSH-UPS

continued»
 A T LAS PUSH-UPS

\
\

96 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

ATLAS PUSH-UPS (VARIATION)

ISOMETRIC QU'S I 97
 III. PEAK CONTRACTION ISOMETRIC POWER FLEX

Peak Contraction Isometric Power Flex is the term we use to refer to exercises where we
intentionally contract our muscles with as much intensity as we can possibly engage,
such as in the biceps pose you see pictured. As you will see, these Peak Contraction
Isometric Power Flex contractions allow for incredible muscle sculpting and contouring,
as well as the ability to control every muscle group at will. It is somewhat similar to
Classic Isometric Contraction but does not employ contracting our muscles against an
outside force or an immovable object. The intensity of these contractions depends
solely on one's own ability to contract with maximum intensity.
An example of a Peak Contraction Isometric Power Flex is what professional
bodybuilders use in their posing routines. These men and women literally exhaust
themselves in just a few short minutes with their posing routines because of the
intensity they put into their flexing movements. So much so that emergency medical
staff are on hand to administer oxygen in case of a coronary-and, no, I'm not joking.

98 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

 #9
que s t Ion
Will Isometrics make it possible for me to lift
heavy weights ?

I've been asked this question many times, and the answer is far more complicated
than a simple yes or no. As stated consistently throughout this book, Isometric
Contraction, when properly applied, can and will dramatically enhance muscular
strength. However, lifting heavy weights is a skill that requires not only strength but
balance, coordination, speed, and timing.
Just as you cannot realistically expect Isometric Contraction alone to help you hit
more home runs unless you hone your batting skills in a batting cage to develop the
rudiments of a flawless swing, including enhanced speed, timing, and hand/eye
coordination, so you need to develop the elements of balance, coordination, speed,
and timing to excel at weightlifting.
For instance, Alexander Zass, the Russian strongman whom I referred to in the
history section, was exceptionally strong as a result of his Isometric Contraction
exercise system. He was so strong, in fact, that the mightiest weightlifters of his
time could not match him at either bar bending or chain breaking. Yet, Zass, of his
own admission, was not talented as a weightlifter and did not perform well at it.
BOTTOM LINE: Isometric Contraction can and will help you to become phenome-
nally strong, but by itself it will not enhance other athletic attributes. You need to
develop the other requisite skills to become a superior
athlete, whether you're talking about hitting
baseballs, playing golf, or lifting heavy weights.
Hence, the need to incorporate other forms of
exercise for increased athletic conditioning.
Here's my question to someone who
wants to lift heavy weights: why do you
want to expose yourself to a source of
exercise that has resulted in tens of thou-
sands suffering from bad elbows, bad
wrists, severe lower back and knee pain, as
well as destroyed jOints, ligaments, and
tendons? It doesn't make any sense when
Isometric Contraction delivers superb
results while protecting the whole body.
 question #10
In simple English, what is the concept behind
Isometric Contraction? And why is it so effective?

To get to the last repetition-FIRST! Let me explain what I mean by that. Let's
just say that someone performs an exercise for one set of 12 repetitions to reach
the point of fatigue, where he or she simply cannot perform one more repetition.
Now, from the perspective of strength building only, ask yourself why the first 11
repetitions were necessary. Answer: to fatigue the muscles for that final hardest
and most effective repetition. In other words, the first 11 repetitions were used to
exhaust the muscle for the performance of the last most challenging repetition.
In a nutshell, that is the concept behind Isometric
Contraction. The goal is to put so much intensity
into a contraction that you fatigue the muscle to
its maximum with just one ultra-intense 7- to 12-
second contraction. Does it work? You bet it does,
and it was verified in hundreds of experiments
dating from 1946 to the early '60s by physiologists, Dr.
Erick A. Mueller and Dr. Theodore Hettinger at
the Max Planck Institute in Dortmund,
Germany. During that time, every con-
ceivable variable was included in their
research, and in every instance it was
proven that Isometric Contraction
was the fastest, safest, and most
effective method of increasing mus-
cular strength.

100 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

 • ~.~ '-;r~.~·

question #11
John, my son, Adam, is 10 years old. Do you think it is
safe for him to follow the Isometric training methods
that you have outlined in Pushing Yourself to Power?
-Jerry S.

That's a good question, Jerry, and one that I have

been frequently asked. As you know from reading
Pushing Yourself to Power, I literally started training with
these methods when I was 10 years old, after I got the
stuffing knocked out of me by a gigantic 13-year-old
bully. (He's probably still singing soprano today some
44 years later after my brother was finished with him.)
The truth is, these methods are perfect for young
boys/men to learn and master, particularly as they are
going through puberty. Take for example these three
photos of my ll-year-old nephew R,J. As you can clearly
see in these photos of R.J. performing his uncle's exer-
cises, they have only helped him and enhanced his
athletic ability. And if I say so myself, R.J. has a great
physique and great self-confidence as well as muscle
mastery for an ll-year-old.
 question #11
Is Static Contraction the Some as Isometric Contraction?

Not as we teach it. Static Contraction Training (SCT) is a method whereby one holds
enormous amounts of weight in positions of greatest strength. No attempt is made to
lift the weight or move it through a full range of motion. When I say that the weight
is held or supported in specific positions of greatest strength for 15 to 30 seconds, I am
giving you the entire method in a nutshell.

This method was made popular by Pete Sisco and John R. Little and endorsed by
motivational guru Anthony Robbins, who has had Sisco and Little appear with him
on various programs (neither man is built like an adonis). The claims for the method
are outlandish and not based upon fact. I have known four men who have used this
method exclusively, and in each case the results were disappointing.
For instance, I have a friend in Canada by the name of Dave Walmsley, who is a fire-
fighter by trade. He is also an expert in self-defense and teaches an excellent self-
defense system called Canadian Combato. Dave told me about an 8-month experiment
he conducted utilizing the SCT method exactly as outlined by Sisco and Little. For
instance, when he began his experiment with the exercises suggested, he started at
around 200 pounds for the seated shoulder press and eventually was able to use more
than 350 pounds for a timed static hold. On the bench press, he began at around 350
pounds (at close-to-complete extension, the position of greatest strength) and worked
up to more than 450 pounds for a timed static hold. He even got to the point where he
was using 2,200 pounds on the leg press for the full time limit.
But .. .and this is where it all unraveled for him ... prior to static contraction training,
Dave was incredibly strong and fit in an athletically functional way. He could perform
over 100 push-ups nonstop, 20 chin-ups nonstop, and had even performed 3 sets of
10 repetition chin-ups with 30 pounds tied to his waist. But at the end of 8 months of
SCT, he struggled to complete 40 push-ups and found 10 body weight chin-ups to be
difficult. In addition, he said that his strength through the full range of motion on
certain standard weight training exercises had not improved, and in some cases had
even decreased from what it was prior to his SCT experiment. Bottom line: although
he did add considerable strength to hold or support weight, it did not in any way
improve his athletic functional strength or physique.

In addition to Dave, I have known three other men who also followed the same SCT
protocols. Their experiences were virtually identical in that they all added tremen-
dously to the weight they could hold in one position. But they all lost "enduring
contInued»

102 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

strength" and were very disappointed with their overall results. This was particularly
so because not one of them had improved the aesthetics of their physiques by using
the SCT method.
Does that mean that SCT is worthless? Not if supporting weight is something you
like to do. But in terms of strength and muscle building, it won't even compare to the
results you can achieve performing Isometric Contractions as we teach them. Why?
Because if range of motion, strength, and muscle sculpting are the goal, it is imper-
ative that the muscles be contracted as powerfully as possible in the stretched
(elongated), mid contraction, and fully contracted (peak) positions . Holding or
supporting a weight where you are not actively engaged in trying to move it produces
only one-dimensional strength. Then again, if that is what you enjoy, go to it.

uestion #13
John, I'm 6' I" and weigh 145 pounds. Will
Isometrics help me gain solid muscular weight?
I'd like to odd ab o ut 4 0 pounds to my frame.

It all depends . If you have an extremely high metabolism or are naturally thin
(ectomorphic), it may take some period of time before you reach your desired
weight. As stated elsewhere in this book, Isometrics when combined with right
Isotonics can dramatically enhance your physique-no doubt about it! But it still
isn't a magiC wand .
Weight gaining, particularly gaining muscular weight, takes time for many indi-
viduals. Now, there are some wonderful weight gaining formulas available at health
food stores, and some are excellent. By that I mean they even taste great (unlike
when I was in my teens and the only stuff available, such as Hoffman's Protein
From the Sea, tasted as though it had been recycled through a horse).
The other thing you can do is to eat more frequently and drink large quantities of
certified organic raw milk, if it is available to you. My uncles used that method right
out of Charles Atlas's course in the 1930s, and they swore by it.
Other than that, well, I knew one guy who went on an every three hour eating-to-
gain-weight schedule for football . He even set his alarm clock to wake him in the
middle of the night in order to eat. Did it work? Yes, he got as big as a house, but it
certainly wasn't all muscle. Was that a healthy thing to do? Only in your dreams.
n
CHAPTER FI

Lowering Blood Pressure Naturally,

Safely, and Permanently
 BLOOD PRESSURE AND
ISOMETRIC CONTRACTION
Lowering B lood Pressure N aturally,
Safely, and P ermanently

I
n autumn 2003, my first book, Pushing Yourself to
Power, was published. Since its release, I have received
thousands of questions about strength, fitness, health,
nutrition, and exercise from people around the world on
our forum at www.bronzebowpublishing.com. One
question that comes up regularly regards the safety of
Isometric Contraction, and particularly whether it is safe
for hypertensive individuals (those suffering from high
blood pressure) to practice it. This is a good question that
deserves a clear answer, especially when one considers the
physiological consequences of high blood pressure. If left

106 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

untreated, hypertension carries a three-
fold increase (300 percent) in the risk for
developing coronary artery disease and a
sevenfold increase (700 percent) for the
likelihood of developing a stroke or
aneurysm. Bottom line: high blood pres-
sure is not to be taken lightly or fooled
around with.
All forms of extrem e exertion can eleva te
blood press ure to dangerous levels ...
especia lly if one is holding their breath.
WHAT HYPERTENSION IS
Defined as a chronically elevated blood
pressure greater than 140/90 mm Hg, hyper-
tension is diagnosed by taking noninvasive
measurements of the resting blood pressure
on two or more occasions. Normal resting
blood pressure in
apparently healthy
individuals averages
120/80 mm Hg. The
first number, 120,
represents the pres-
sure against the
artery walls when the heart contracts and is
called systolic blood pressure. The second
number, 80, is the pressure against the
. artery walls during the resting phase
• (between heartbeats) and is called diastolic
. blood pressure. The difference between these
. two pressures, the mean [Irteriall2.ressure, or
• MAP, represents the average blood pressure
• throughout the arterial system.
• Specialized blood pressure sensors through-
out the body regulate blood pressure and
· ensure that it does not fall too low, thus
· compromising adequate flow to tissues; or
doesn't rise too high, thus increasing the
• work of the heart and over stressing the
• blood vessels. Generally, blood pressure is
• regulated in such a way that it rises and faUs
· consistently with the demands of the body
· throughout the day. Occasionally, blood
· pressure control mechanisms throughout
· the body malfunction or are unable to com-
· pensate for the demands placed on the
· body, and one of the resulting conditions is
• hypertension.
· HYPERTENSION AND
: ISOMETRIC EXERCISE
• Now, let's get to the questions. First, does the
. practice of Isometric Contraction carry a
. substantial risk of elevating the blood pres-
· sure to unsafe levels during the actual time
• one is engaged in performing each contrac-
tion. And, second, does consistent practice
of Isometric Contraction increase the risk of
developing chronic hypertension even
· when one is not exercising? Here's the short
answer to each one-not ifpracticed the way
we teach it in this book. Let me explain what I
mean by that statement. While it is true that
all forms of strenuous exertion can and do
 raise blood pressure (sometimes to cata-
strophic levels), Isometric Contraction as we
teach it with carefully controlled breathing
does not pose the same risk or threat as does
sudden and extreme exertion where the
breath is held.
can be learned almost instantly. It's been
shown to help fight high blood pressure,
the major risk factor for heart attacks,
stroke, and kidney disease, and now its
inventor believes it can also retard age by
the same mechanism."

There are no new studies that deal specifi- "There are thousands of theories of aging,"
cally with Isometric Contraction and said Dr. Kiveloff. "This is a new one-the
hypertension. However, there were two best one!" The article then went on to
medical doctors, Rene Caillet, M.D., describe how strong, youthful, and young
Clinical Professor at the University of . Dr. Kiveloff appeared to be even though he
Southern California School of Medicine, had been practicing medicine for 55 years,
and Broino Kiveloff, M.D., Associate Chief having begun in 1928! In addition to Dr.
of Rehabilitation Medicine at the New York . Kiveloff, the article also included refer-
Infirmary-Beekman Downtown Hospital, ences to his associate, Olive Huber, Ph.D.,
who used Isometric Contraction to treat Professor Emeritus in the Department of
hypertension with great success during the Physiology at Hunter College, who had
'60s, '70s, and '80s. In fact, Dr. Kiveloff was worked with Dr. Kiveloff since 1960 and
so sold on the benefits of full body was the co-developer of the technique.
Isometric Contraction (as he taught it) that The article featured references and quotes
he used it not only to treat hypertensives from numerous individuals who had
but also diabetics. In the 1986 Journal of the achieved great benefits with the program and
Royal Society for the Promotion of Health, Dr. referenced clinical studies that had been con-
Kiveloff was featured in an extensive article ducted by Kiveloff and Huber respectively, all
outlining exactly how his Isometric pro- of which achieved and verified the same
gram for hypertensives could be used by results-a dramatic decrease in resting blood
diabetics with great benefit. • pressure. So much so that many people no
So what was Dr. Kiveloff's method? Hang longer required blood pressure medication.
tight because I am about to share it with One other side benefit was the dramatic
you. His method was revealed in detail in improvement in posture, muscle tone, and
an extensive article titled, "A 60-Second . general appearance that every man and
Shortcut to Vitality," that appeared in the woman who utilized the technique verified.
February 1983 issue of Prevention Magazine. In fact, the article referred to one man who
The article started with the question, . had been restricted to a salt-free diet when
"How does a person take action against his doctor discovered that his blood pres-
age?" and was followed with the response, sure was 160/95. Every 3 months for 7 years
"There are many ways, but one takes less . this man had gone to his doctor for blood
than a minute a day, costs nothing, and tests and checkups on his progress. Then, in

108 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

just 5 to 8 weeks of following Dr. Kiveloff's 2. Simultaneously tense all your muscles as
Isometrics, his blood pressure fell to 120/80 tightly as possible, while breathing nor-
and remained there. He was quoted in the mally and counting out loud to seven. You
article as saying, "It's so much more won- might try tensing each muscle group sepa-
derful than taking medication. You have to . rately-Iegs, arms, chest, abdomen, face,
go to the doctor only when you want to!" and then try tensing them all at once.
Another individual story was that of a 65- When you do, you feel an immediate surge
year-old executive who stated he had not . of warmth all over your body.
missed a single day of Isometrics since he 3. Relax and rest for a few seconds.
began the program 7 years previously.
When he began, his blood pressure was 4. Repeat twice more for a total of 3 reps.
185/105. In just a few months of Isometrics, · 5. Do this 3 times a day (try morning, noon,
it dropped to 130/70 and remained there.
and night).
"I'm in awfully good shape, fit and flexible,
and this is the only regular exercise I get," That's all there is to Dr. Kiveloff's method
he told Prevention Magazine. · for controlling hypertension by utilizing
Isometric Contraction exercise. He stated
So what exactly was this extraor-
· he performed the exercise 4 or 5 times
dinary program? It's very simple,
though it's important that it be · daily (a total of 12 to 15 repetitions) for
done correctly. The most impor- added benefit. And, he added, though the
tant thing, according to Dr. original study was done with people exer-
Kiveloff, is to breathe normally cising in a standing position, the exercise
doing Isometrics. Also, observe could also be done sitting or lying down.
the time limit: 6 to 7 seconds In fact, lying down before getting out of
for each exercise. In medical bed in the morning while practicing deep
jargon, the program's full breathing was exactly how Dr. Rene
name is "brief, maximal Caillet, whom I referred to at the begin-
extensive Isometric exer- ning of the chapter, taught the same exer-
cise," Dr. Kiveloff stated, cise in his 1968 book, The Rejuvenation
with an emphasis on brief. Strategy. Generally, Dr. Kiveloff says, it takes
By counting out loud to easily . 6 to 8 weeks to produce a significant drop
keep track of your time, you can in high blood pressure, with long-term
also maintain normal breathing. •
· benefits growing over time.

HERE'S HOW IT'S DONE: Although it is possible to use Dr. Kiveloff's

1. Stand in a relaxed position, method to achieve good results without
arms hanging loose. Don't • making other significant changes to your
clench your fists or bend lifestyle, the information that follows will
your elbows or jOints. dramatically increase its effectiveness.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ •• __ .... _ • __ .... _ . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ... I ~ ..... ....

 MUST READ-NOW!
Before you read the following Seven •
Golden Keys to lower blood pressure nat-
urally, safely, and permanently, please note
that these suggestions DO NOT replace the
advice of your medical doctor. If you are tak-
ing medication at the present time, under
no circumstances are you to stop taking it
without your doctor's instructions. Also,
feel free to share this entire chapter with
your doctor. I assure you there is not a sin- •
3.
gle word presented here that would con-
tradict his or her medical advice.
SEVEN GOLDEN KEYS TO LOWER .
from your diet. Why? Because it con-
tributes to high blood pressure due to
increased fluid retention in the body. It
has also been proven that a diet high in
potassium, magnesium, and calcium
(found in abundance in vegetables and
fruit and low-fat dairy products) is very
beneficial in both lowering and normal-
izing blood pressure.
If you are overweight, lose weight by
following suggestions 1 & 2 above,
until you are the ideal weight for your
somatotype.

BLOOD PRESSURE NATURALLY, 4. If you are a smoker, quit. With all the
SAFELY, AND PERMANENTLY information available about the dangers
I . Practice Dr. Kiveloff's full body Isometric
Contraction exercise up to a dozen •
times per day. In addition, perform daily
aerobic/cardio exercise (vigorous long .
walks are a great choice). Remember:
physical inactivity increases the risk of
obesity, diabetes, heart attack, and
stroke. For this reason, daily exercise is a
must for both prevention and treatment
of high blood pressure.
2. Eat for health. As stated in the Nutrition
Chapter, eat plenty of vegetables, fruits,
fiber, low-fat
dairy products,
and foods that
are low in cho-
lesterol. It is
also important
to reduce salt
to a minimum or eliminate it entirely
of smoking, this seems to be a "no
brainer," but consider that smoking
__- -- - _ _ increases stress on
the heart and arter-
ies, which in turn
increases the risk
for a stroke and a
cardiac event. It
also contributes to
elevated cholesterol and dramatically
increases your risk for just about every
known cancer. Bottom line: if you
smoke, you need to quit ... no brainer
or not.
5. Avoid excess alcoholic consumption.
Yes, I know there are studies that indi-
cate a certain amount of wine can be
beneficial to the heart and arteries. But
there are people who take that informa-
tion and use it as an excuse to drink

110 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

 more than they should. And even
though there is scientific research that
supports minimal alcoholic consump-
tion as being
beneficial to
health, there
are also thou-
sands of stud-
ies proving
that excessive
consumption
of alcohol has devastating effects on
one's health, including an elevation in
blood pressure. Bottom line: if you
drink, keep it to a minimum.
6. Avoid excess caffeine consumption.
Once again, it is true that a certain
amount of caffeine may be beneficial.
But there is more than ample scientific
evidence to prove that excess caffeine
can have a devastating impact on one's
health, including elevations in blood
pressure and causing a host of chronic
conditions, such as insomnia, heart pal-
pitations, headaches, and nervousness
(to name just a few). Bottom line: avoid
caffeine as much as possible.
7. Relaxation and spiritual connection,
or, in other words, "destressing./I It is •
a fact that you can follow the first 6
recommendations to the letter and still
. be hypertensive. Why? Because emo-
. tional stress can literally eat you alive.
Emotional stress can release hormones
that elevate blood pressure and cause a
wide range of physical problems. For
. that reason I want to recommend that
you take time to intentionally relax.
• I also recommend that you embark upon a
· spiritual quest and ask God to walk with
• you and direct your path. Don't get me
wrong. I'm not trying to shove any brand
of religion on you. But I am stating a fact.
Just as Alcoholics Anonymous regards
tu rning to a higher power (God) for help
. and direction as essential to one's recovery
from alcohol addiction, so you need to ask
God to help you with the personal issues in
. your life. If you are harboring anger, ani-
mosity, resentment, and unforgiveness
toward others or yourself, you are carrying
• an emotional load 24/7 that is streSSing
you out and bound to have severe physio-
logical consequences. This alone can place
a tremendous strain on your emotions and
consequently elevate your blood pressure.
What to do? Turn to God, learn to forgive
and let go of the past, and strive to live a
life of compassion and forgiveness. If you
· do that, you will not only go a long way
· toward destressing your life and becoming
a much happier person, you will help
make the world a better place. To help you
· learn to forgive, memorize this quote from
Longfellow: "If we could read the secret
history of our enemies, we should find in
each life sorrow and suffering enough to
disarm all hostility./I
BLOOD PRESSURE AND ISOMETRIC CONTRACTION I 111
~ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _...;;;::
C HAP T E R S I X

Warming Up the Right Way

 S I X

THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN

Worming Up the R ight Way

T
he Magnificent Seven are the ultimate warm-up
exercises to help you achieve the most strength
and benefit from your practice of Isometric
Contraction. I have selected the seven exercises that
have proven to be the best for stretching all the joints,
tendons, ligaments, and muscles of the body, thus
keeping them strong, flexible, and young. These move-
ments will also slenderize the waistline very quickly. In
fact, don 't be surprised if you lose two or three inches
from your waistline when you make the Magnificent Seven
a part of your daily training. Here's why.

114 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

Although most people exercise in order to
possess a handsome physique or figure,
many people, particularly those who are
older, want to regain the bodily propor-
tion of their youth. By neglecting their
health, they usually do not feel well, and
their primary interest is to improve their
health and appearance, which go hand in
hand with physical development. They
realize these are necessities in the building
of a successful, happy, and vibrant life.
The fact is that we grow old when our
jOints, muscles, and arteries get stiff. To
keep young and vibrant, it is necessary to
exercise these jOints, tendons, ligaments,
muscles, and their attachments through
a full range of motion. We must also
increase our respiration and enhance our
circulation with a pure bloodstream to
keep our organs and glands young and
efficient as well as to keep the arteries
flexible and resilient and to keep the mus-
cles working. The truth is we cannot be
strong or active, cannot have energy and
endurance, and cannot have good health
unless we have strong and efficient inter-
nal organs, which are largely the result of
performing exercises that involve the
midsection (although good nutrition is So now, let's warm
important and does playa part of it). . Magnificent Seven.
: The Magnificent Seven are designed to
• accomplish all these goals. These exercises
• strengthen your body inside as well as out-
. side. The internal exercises strengthen and
. massage all the organs of the midsection,
• thus improving digestion, assimilation,
• and elimination. Remember, all move-
ments of the body, internal and external,
. are muscular, and the more muscles you
. move, the more organs and glands are
• strengthened and their actions normalized.
. These are the motors of your body, and
your life depends upon their efficiency.
•
. Through the practice of the Magnificent
Seven, you will gradually develop the ability
. to work without fatigue, to play harder, to
enjoy meals more, and to not worry about
• internal discomfort or constipation. The
. gradual improvement of the organs and
: glandular functions makes it possible to
. walk and run farther and to extend yourself
• physically and mentally. You will build
• health, slenderize the waistline, improve
your appearance, produce a maximum of
. flexibility and suppleness, and prepare your
. body to extend itself in the practice of the
: Isometric exercises that will greatly enhance
• both your strength and physique.
up with the
 STARTING
POSITION

THE MAGNIFICENT S uE-

EXERCISE #1

Forward Ben d

This is a very simple exercise that stretches and activates the vital sections of the body and
will help keep you young.
Stand with your feet a comfortable distance apart and raise both your arms straight over your
head and bend well back from the small of your back. Then bend forward, endeavoring to
touch the floor between your feet with both hands while keeping your legs as straight as pos-
sible. Practice this exercise steadily, exhaling as you touch the floor, inhaling as your arms are
raised above your head. Start with 6 complete movements, then on every third day increase
the repetitions by 1 until you are performing 12 repetitions for warm-up purposes and up to
36 to enhance athletic fitness and trim the waistline.
This exercise imparts increased flexibility to the muscles and the spine and activates the nerve
centers of the lower back, which is the vital section of the body. It stretches the tendons and
muscles of this region, the sacrum, the sacroiliac, and the hips. It promotes youth and increased
elasticity in the involved parts of the body and builds endurance in walking and running.

116 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

ADVANCED
 STARTING
POSITION

T H E MAG N I F i e E N T S LV N

EXERCISE #2

UP J oVer J and Down

In his bestselling The Golden Keys to Internal Physical Fitness, Paul Bragg called this exercise
liThe One, the Only Perfect Exercise-This Is It-the Best!" Why? Because it stretches nearly
everyone of the 600 muscles in the body.
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart or slightly wider, arms extended straight from
your sides and forming a straight line across your shoulders. Swing your right arm up and
overhead counterclockwise and continue down across the body while bending from the
waist with your knees stiff and touch (or try to touch) your left big toe (see photo). You may
not make it the first time, but stretch down as far as you can. When your back and hips
become more supple, you will easily touch your left big toe. Then reverse direction, swinging
your arm overhead fast but under control and bend backward from the waist. All this should
be one continuous movement.
Now repeat with your left arm, stretching up, over, and down to the right big toe. While per-
forming this exercise, suck in and blowout air forcefully, exhaling while touching the big toe
and inhaling while changing sides. Do this exercise 6 times to each side (12 repetitions total)

118 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

 2

and add 1 repetition every 3 days until you are performing 12 repetitions to each
side for a total of 24 repetitions as a warm-up. For enhanced athletic fitness and
fat loss, perform up to 36 repetitions to each side.
This superb exercise removes external and internal fat from the entire midsection
(front, back, and sides), activates the internal organs and glands, improves all the
processes of digestion and elimination, imparts exceptional suppleness and a high
level of strength to the body parts involved.
 STARTING
POSITION

T H E MAGNIE I CENT S LY

EXERCISE #3

Side-to-S/de Tw is t

This is a simple but highly effective exercise to reduce fat inside and outside the midsection,
to develop the strength of the muscles, and to keep the vertebrae loose and flexible.
Assume the position shown with your arms fully extended to the sides as in the previous exer-
cise, forming a straight line across the shoulders. Keeping your arms directly opposite of each
other as if held in place by a long pole parsed across the back of the neck and shoulders, swing
your arms and shoulders in unison. Twist one direction and then the other until the line of your
arms at the extreme tension of the swing is as nearly as possible at right angles to the starting
position and your feet. The greatest flexibility will be found in the upper region of the spine,
allowing a slight flexing of each section of the vertebrae and giving an aggregate twist that will
increase with continual practice. Remember: your shoulders must swing with your arms or the
movement has little value. The object is to make the twist with your upper body, so your hips
should keep their natural position facing forward during the exercise and not swing side to side
with your arms and shoulders. Start with 6 repetitions in each direction and add 1 repetition
every 3 workouts until you are performing 12 repetitions in each direction for warm-up purposes.
If you desire enhanced athletic strength and flexibility, you may work up to 36 repetitions in
each direction.

120 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

 STARTING
POSITION

THE MAGNIFICENT

EXERCISE #4

Torso Circle

Stand with your heels together and raise your arms straight over your head in a reverse hand-
clasp as shown. Your arms are kept straight with your upper arms tight to your ears through-
out this movement. Moving only from the waist, make a large enough circular movement so
that you can feel the tension in the muscles of your lower back, sides, and the front abdomen
as you turn or twist. The "Torso Circle" strengthens the muscles of your sides, abdomen, and
back and reduces weight around the waist both inside and out, and it has a stimulating effect
on all the internal organs. For warm-up purposes, begin with 6 repetitions in each direction
and increase by 1 every 3 workouts until you are performing 12 in each direction for a total of
24 repetitions. Those who want to dramatically reduce the size of their waistline may wish to
work up to 36 repetitions in each direction. You'll soon discover that this exercise hits the
entire midsection-front, back, and sides-as no other exercise does.

122 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

 STARTING
POSITION

THE MAGNIFICENT SEVE-bi

EXERCISE #S

Tig e r Bend S quo t

This exercise is of tremendous value in perfecting poise, balance, and suppleness of the entire
body while dramatically enhancing leg strength.
Assume a standing position as shown with your hands at your sides. Draw your arms back-
ward until your hands are about 18" from the vertical line of your body. Lower your body into
the low deep knee bend position. As your body descends, bring your arms forward and by
continuing their swing the balance of your body will be easier to maintain while bending and
rising. This exercise not only strengthens the legs and hips in a dramatic way but can also
enhance cardio endurance to a tremendous extent when performed in sets of 50 to 100 repeti-
tions or more. However, for warm-up purposes, start with 6 repetitions and add 1 repetition
every 3 workouts until you are practicing 12 to 36 repetitions on a consistent basis. I personally
believe the Tiger Bend Squat and the Tiger Bend Push-up are two of the best full body dynamic
exercises in the entire realm of physical culture.

124 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

 STARTING
POSITION

THE M AGNIFICENT SE.'l_ ....""""'-

EXERCISE #6

T i g e r Stretch Push-up

This may be the oldest exercise known to man. It has been practiced in the Middle East, India,
and the Orient for thousands of years. Once you see it performed, it is obvious why it is called
the Tiger Stretch Push-up, as it virtually duplicates the movement of large jungle cats.
Although they are caged in small pens at the zoo or circus, they are as amazingly strong and fit
in captivity as they would be in the wild. Pacing back and forth and stretching their muscles
under tension (identical to this exercise) are their only exercises. So the results are obvious.
The movement of this exercise is ideal for strengthening and slenderizing the midsection and
improves the action of all internal organs and glands. Perhaps more importantly, it stretches
and strengthens all the muscles, tendons, and ligaments of the entire body from neck to toes
on both sides of the body as it imparts youth and flexibility of movement.
Start this movement in the position as shown in photo 1, hands on the floor, shoulder-width
apart, and your head tucked in looking directly at your feet. Your feet are a little wider than shoul-
der-width apart. Your legs and back are straight, and your butt is the highest point of the body.
Next, bend your elbows while descending in a smooth circular arc as shown in photos 2-4.

126 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

 3

Almost brush your chest and upper body to the floor as you continue the circular range of
motion until your arms are straight, your back is flexed, and your hips are almost touching
the floor. At the top of the movement, stretch your neck back and look up at the ceiling
while consciously flexing your triceps and inhaling (see photo 4). At this point, return to
the starting position by raising your hips and buttocks while simultaneously pushing back
with straight arms (photo 5-6), causing a complete articulation of the shoulder jOints.
Arrive at the starting pOSition (photo 7) and continue. Start with 6 repetitions and gradually
add repetitions as you are able. No need to perform more than 12 repetitions for warm-up
purposes, but those who want to dramatically enhance their athletic performance may
desire to perform 36 or more.
 STARTING/ALTERNATE
POS I T I O N

MAGNIFICENT S E-.LLt::J

EXERCISE #7

The Abdominal Double Cur I

This exercise was recommended by Dr. Frank Rudolph Young (page 220) as the ultimate exercise
for sculpted abs and enhanced sexual vigor.
Begin flat on your back on a soft surface. As you inhale, lift your head and shoulders up and
forward (photo 2) followed by straight legs to a point of momentary balance on your tail-
bone at the top of the inhale and movement, so that you balance like a "v." Exhaling down,
place your heels on the floor, then uncurl the upper body until your head rests on the floor.
Remember: your head is the first part of your body to move up and the last to relax down.
Start with 6 repetitions and add 1 repetition every 3 workouts until you are performing 12
repetitions for warm-up purposes and work up to 36 for ab sculpting. You will soon discover
that Dr. Young knew what he was talking about when outlining the benefits of this superb
exercise.

128 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN I 1?q
 CHAPTER SEVEN

lEEP BREATHING ALONE

has mode many a sick man well
and many a weak man STRONG.
-Farmer Burns
 CHAPTER S EVE N

CLASSIC ISOMETRICS fo r 0
POWERFUL PHYSIQUE

N
OW that you have read the first six chapters of
The Isometric Power Revolution, I hope that you
are excited about taking the information and
knowledge that you have just gained and are ready
to turn it into personal wisdom by applying these
techniques and methods specifically to your own
body's needs. Then and only then will these master
methods become a part of your personal body wisdom and
training philosophy.

132 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

However, before I go any further, I want to
address one pertinent issue that many
people question because of the misinfor-
mation about exercise that is perpetuated
by equipment manufacturers whose pri-
mary goal is monetary gain. That issue is
whether or not it is really possible to
achieve superior results and a super state of
physical manhood without relying on
anything outside of yourself, particularly,
the equipment we all see advertised in
those ubiquitous exercise machine info-
mercials that are playing 24/7 on television
stations everywhere. And the answer to
that question is a very affirmative YES!
In fact, the only way one can achieve a
super state of complete mind/body and
muscular self-mastery is through the
applicatioin of methods that unite mind
and body as one, such as those that are
presented here. But there is another reason
for becoming a master of our training
methods and for not using methods that
rely on equipment or that cause com-
pression to the lower spine. And to
explain it to you succintly, I am once
again turning to the writings of master
physical culturist Tromp Van Diggelen and
his autobiography Worth While Journey,
published in 1955. On pages 248 and 249,
Van Diggelen stated the following, with
which I completely agree.
, ' No organ of the body can function
properly without an adequate nerve
stimulus. The nerves of the body
need blood in the same manner that
the root of a plant needs water. It will
be clear to you now that the body
cannot be really healthy without a
. vigorous spinal blood circulation.
• One of my most important princi-
. ples is that, by the practice of firm
• contraction and complete relax-
• ation, without the use of apparatus,
• weights or rubber exercises, the best
possible nutrition is obtained for the
• spinal muscles and the spinal cord.
• Some systems employ machine-
like movements of whole groups of
• muscles without training a man or
• woman to concentrate on individual
• muscles. It is the consciously con-
trolled action of individual muscles
which is so valuable in the conserva-
• tion of energy and the building of a
. healthy mind and body.' ,
.
.
.
•
.
•
.
What Van Diggelen has stated in the
above paragraphs is absolutely correct.
. When one achieves a superior state of
 physical/mental self-mastery so that he or . way. Remember what Farmer Burns said?
she can positively contract or relax any
given muscle group throughout the entire
body at will and do so without relying on
any form of apparatus outside of the
body, one has reached a super state of
body awareness and mind/muscle mastery
that can be achieved in no other way.
Simply put, the nerve impulses to all of
the muscles, glands, and various tissues
throughout the entire body will be greatly
enhanced and not impeded in any way.
This in turn will keep you younger far
longer than any other method you could
possibly use because you are doing nothing
to cause a breakdown anywhere within
the skeletal system.
As a result, you will look great, you will
feel great, and you will become a great deal
stronger if you follow the methods we
teach. C'mon, you already got a taste of it
when you performed the Isometric Deep
Breathing Exercise in Chapter 1. That
alone will strengthen you in a significant
DEEP BREATHING ALONE
has mode mony 0 sick mon well
and many a weak man STRONG.
134 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION
Write it down and memorize it. "Deep
breathing alone has made many a sick
man well and many a weak man strong."
And it is absolutely true.
You've also seen evidence of what will
happen to your physique and body as a
result of following these methods from
the facts presented in Chapter 2-A
Concise History of Isometric Contraction.
(And, no, you don't have to bite through
nails and chains.) So now in Chapter 7,
we're going to teach you how to strength-
en and sculpt every muscle in your entire
body from your neck to your toes with
Classic Isometric Contraction.
However, before I teach you what to do,
I must address a ridiculous excuse that
many people use for not getting the best
out of themselves, for not reaching their
potential or achieving the greatness that
God placed in them. What excuse am
I referring to? In a word: genetics.
-Farme r Bu rns
GENETICS: THE MYTH THAT First, by not allowing himself to have any
stupid excuses that would hold him back.
HOLDS SOME PEOPLE BACK
. He would be the first to tell you to not
(Don 't fall for it.)
believe the genetics excuse "-that we are
1/

Take a look at these contrasting photos. genetically stuck with our bodies, and that
Would you believe that the man on the . we can't do a thing about it. He is quick to
left is, in fact, the man on the right, and point out that we all have the same muscle
that the photos were taken less than one groups. All can be strengthened through
year apart? Would you even dream that proper exercise and good nutrition, and all
the man on the left could become the can be wasted through lack of exercise and
man on the right? Well, it's true. They're bad nutrition. He had a choice to make
the same man. His name is Dr. Neal regarding what he was going to do with his
Eslinger, and he has become a very close body, and he obviously made the right one.
personal friend of mine. He personifies . We are all free to make the right choice.
everything we teach at Bronze Bow.
Let me tell you a little about him. Dr. Neal
How did Dr. Neal transform himself from Eslinger has a thriving chiropractic practice.
picture A to picture B in less than a year? . He chose our methods because he wanted
 to discover for himself the best, most CIC is a key component for developing the
positive methods to share with his super human strength that both Alexander
clients in order to help them rehabili- Zass and The Mighty Atom displayed. The
tate old injuries. (Let's face it, instead of essential factor to this form of Isometric
doing the smart thing and visiting a chi- Contraction is that it builds strength from
ropractor as a part of a lifelong health the inside out rather than the outside in. It
and youthfuless program, most people accomplishes this by first strengthening
wait until they are hurting.) He also tendons and ligaments and stabilizing the
wanted to help his clients prevent new joints, and then strengthening the muscles.
injuries from happening while he helped • This type of training causes the muscles to
them become strong and fit . So in order . become very dense and firm to the touch.
to prove the validity of our methods, Dr. . CIC also causes the body to "heat up" very
Eslinger first tested our methods on him- quickly. Seriously, in just 5 minutes of
self, thereby transforming himself into utilizing intense CICs you can and will be
the epitome of manly strength, fitness, drenched in sweat. This is also why it
and physique. He accomplished what you . causes such dramatic increases in muscular
see without relying on weights or equip- definition . Why? Because as the body
ment of any kind. "heats up" and you combine Isometrics
with deep breathing, it's like incinerating
That's why I asked Dr. Eslinger to pose for
body fat on the hurry-up. I have thousands
many of the exercise photos in this book.
of students and friends around the world
Who better than a man who has proven . who will attest to this. In fact, usually
the worth of these methods on himself, within two weeks, most people experience
and a man who uses them with his clients? a dramatic improvement in muscular
definition.
CLASSIC ISOMETRIC CONTRACTION
In this first section on strength enhance- . How is this possible? Here's at least one
ment and physique development, we concrete reason: because Isometrics work
will use Classic Isometric Contraction the muscles in the most direct way
(CIC). You already know what I mean . possible with the utmost of intenSity.
by this term from reading Chapter 2. (If Plus, CIC allows you to work the muscles
you didn't read Chapter 2, you're cheat- far more safely than any other method.
ing yourself.) By CIC, I'm referring to Why? Because the load on any given
Isometrics where we work against an muscle at any given angle is gradually
immovable force or object and do so at increased for 3 to 4 seconds until peak
several positions or angles within any contraction is achieved, maintained for 7 to
range of movement. In this case the 12 seconds at peak intenSity, and then
immovable force is supplied by another slowly released for another 3 to 4 seconds.
group of muscles. There is no jerking or "cheating" as is

136 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

common with weight training. And there's
no reliance on amplified gravity (weight) to
create the contraction. Hence, it does not
cause a sudden and intense pull at the ----~------~~~SHOULDERS

juncture of muscles and tendons, and

it does not compress the lower spine.
Not only that, but with CIC the
tendons become phenomenally
strong, unlike some exercise
methods where the muscles
become far stronger than the
tendons. When that happens,
injury is almost guaranteed.
So let's take a serious look at
the muscle structures of the
body and see why they
should be developed and
why Isometrics is the best
way to strengthen them. THIGH
+--MUSCLES

TRAPEZIUS MUSCLES

TRICEPS

ERECTOR LATISSIMUS DORSI

SPINAL MUSCLES MUSCLES
 IMPORTANT MUSCLES OF THE BODY neck development program. There is a
saying that /I a chain is only as strong as its
7. The Neck weakest link." It's true, and if a fitness
One of the most impor- program doesn't develop the neck first,
tant muscle groups in the . this program's weak link is exposed and
entire body is the neck. not worth dOing.
Yet most fitness programs
" - -_ _ _ _ _ _ _"-----.J don't even mention the
You will find a complete neck developing
neck-not even a whisper in passing. So, program beginning on page 144.
friends, here's the only time you'll read
2 . Trapezius Muscles
me saying anything negative about my
On both sides of the
competitors. If a so-called, self-professed
shoulders at the base of
expert has you working only the muscles
the neck on top of the
that show, trust me, he or she is no expert
shoulders are the trapez-
(except in his or her own mind).
ius m u scl e s. 5tro n g, well- L--'''---------'-.L..l.'t'''------.J
Think about it . Your neck supports the developed trapezius muscles help keep
entire weight of your head. It has both a the shoulders in their proper place and
muscular and joint structure that allows enhance one's posture. But in addition to
you to turn 180· from side to side and to · good posture, developing these muscles
swivel a full 360·. It houses the top of the also helps competitors in all contact sports
entire spinal column, and if it gets broken . to remain injury free.
due to a car accident or a sport injury, you
If you have weak trapezius muscles, you
can be paralyzed instantly from the neck
will be round-shouldered and have a weak
down for life. In fact, that's exactly what
· neck. Both the neck and trapezius develop-
happened to actor Christopher Reeve,
ment exercises found on pages 144-153
who played Super Man. He broke his neck
will correct this condition. In fact, all neck
after being thrown from his horse, and his
exercises also develop the trapeZius.
entire body was paralyzed until the day
he died. 3. Shoulders
My pOint is this: it is foolish to develop Broad, powerful shoul-
only the muscles that show while a vital ders are envied by men
muscle structure such as the neck is left and admired by women .
weak and undeveloped, especially if you They not only enhance
could prevent the damage that comes . a man's appearance but
from an accident that leaves you paralyzed also enhance a man's ability in virtually
for life. Especially when in less than • every contact sport from boxing,
5 minutes a day you could have a · wrestling, and every martial art to tennis,
superbly developed neck by following my golf, football, baseball, basketball, and
hockey. To build the strength of your

138 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

shoulders, perform the exercises on
pages 154-161.
4. Pectoral Muscles
The function of the pec-
toral muscles is to move
the arms forward, down- ~ililll1lii7
ward, and across the
chest. These muscles, L.=o....L_-'--__L.J..J
which cover the chest, enhance the appear-
ance of one's physique when fully devel-
oped and greatly enhance one's ability in
all contact and racquet sports. The pectorals
respond very quickly to CIC, especially
when combined with various types of
push-ups. The exercises for pectoral devel-
opment are found on pages 180-185.
5. Latissimus
Dorsi Muscles
The latissimus dorsi mus-
cles are the large fanned-
shaped muscles of the
L-'---_----""----''---------l upper back, beginning at
the armpits and extending all the way
to the waistline. In fact, it was these
muscles that Jean Valjean had developed
through his consistant use of Isometric
Contraction as found on page 90 of Les
Miserables ("A full course of mysterious
statics ") that tipped off Inspector Javert
as to who Valjean really was. If you want
to know more, read Victor Hugo's Les
Miserables.
The function of the latissimus dorsi
muscles is to lower the arms and move Many exercises that rely on heavy
them backward. In men who have wide · weights, such as dead lifts, good morn-
shoulders and small waists, these muscles ings, and squats, will certainly develop
give a very distinctive V-shaped when the erector spinal muscles, but the ampli-
fully developed. For obvious reasons,
gymnasts and swimmers usually have
beautifully shaped latissimus dorsi
muscles. The CIC exercises found on
pages 186-189 will quickly develop these
muscles as well as enhance your ability to
• play many sports.
If you wish to test the strength of your
• "lats," here's an easy method: see how
many times you can" chin the bar," then
perform CICs exclusively for 30 days and
retest yourself. Don't be surprised if your
· improvement is 100 percent. It happened
for my friend Andrew McDuffy, who went
· from 4 reps to 10 reps as a result of doing
• what we teach. So if someone tries to tell
you these exercises won't work, tell them
to stick it in their ear.
. 6. Erector
. Spinal Muscles
• The erector spinal muscles
resemble two large steel
cables that run along both
. sides of the spinal column. "'-----_->l..1l.IUL_----l
They may not look nearly as impressive as
the latissimus dorsi muscles, but in terms
• of function, they are far more vital because
they support the spine and protect the
. vertebrae and spinal cord itself. It is
• essential to keep these muscles strong and
well developed if one wishes to avoid
lower back pain and lumbago that are
suffered by millions of Americans.
 fied gravitational force pulling down will dramatically engages the biceps. The
literally destroy the discs that separate triceps, on the other hand, push things
and cushion the vertebrae, which is why away or extend and push them away from
heavy weightlifting often has disastrous a bent position until the arms are fully
consequences. The good news is that if extended. In many sports, such as baseball,
you follow the CIC protocols presented in . boxing, fencing, or gymnastics, it is critical
this program, you can develop every bit as that biceps and triceps be balanced in both
much strength or more without any of the strength and endurance in order to achieve
negative side effects. mastery. No form of exercise allows one
to work on strength and endurance defi-
REMEMBER: strength is essential to succeed
• ciencies as well as CICs and to overcome
in all contact sports from martial arts to
weaknesses within any plane of motion.
rugby and everything in between, but it's .
how you achieve great strength that You will find exercises for biceps and
makes all the difference in the world. CICs triceps development on pages 162-167.
will help you accomplish that goal far Whether you want functional athletes'
more safely than any other method, strength or great looking arms, you will
especially when it comes to developing achieve both aims with these exercises.
the erector spinal muscles. The exercises .
described on pages 190-193 will develop 8. Hands, Wrists,
these muscles and protect you from injury. and Forearms
Developing the hands,
7. Biceps and Triceps . wrists, and forearms is
Everyone would like to crucial for excelling in
have beautifully developed . many sports, such as auto L-_~-=::""":'----.-J
biceps and triceps. Some . raCing, archery, gymnastics, racquet sports,
~-""""~~~ desire it just because it golf, baseball, and virtually all contact
L--=~'!1!ii.III__~ looks great, and others sports. You need a strong grip. But it's also
because it dramatically enhances their • essential for everyday life. Consider, for
sports performance, whether it's baseball, instance, a stubborn jar lid, or raking
basketball, football, racquet sports, golf, or leaves, or doing yard work. You need strong
martial arts. Though most people are more hands, wrists, and forearms. The good
concerned about their biceps, the truth is news is that Isometrics will strengthen and
that the biceps, which are flexors, need to develop the tendons, ligaments, and
be balanced by triceps development, which muscles faster than any other method.
are extensors.
Remember the ancient archers from
The biceps are located on the front of the . Chapter 2? Point made. You'll find
upper arm and are responsible for pulling excellent exercises for hands, wrists, and
things toward you. For instance, chinning forearms beginning on page 168-179.
the bar pulls your body toward the bar and

140 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

 9. Abdominal Muscles with your abdominals. You will notice that
In recent years, no muscle the external obliques are in both ab-specific
group has received as programs. For complete development, turn
much attention in books, . to pages 194-195.
magazines, and infomer-
11. Thigh and
'----~-LL-_~ cials as has the abdom- .
inal muscles. From a health perspective, Hip Muscles
I couldn't agree more. Strong, well- The thighs and hips are
defined abdominals will help to maintain the largest and most pow-
youthfulness and vigor as nothing else erful muscles in the body.
'--------"nLlJ...L_---.l Muscular, athletic legs are
will for both men and women. If fact, I'll
go on record as saying the abdominals are not only pleasing to look at but are also a
the most important muscle structure of necessity. These muscles literally carry us
the entire body to develop, whether you through life and will keep us years younger
are an athlete or not. This is because the and stronger than our contemporaries
function of every gland and organ is when we develop them and keep them
enhanced when one has developed pow- strong and fit.
erful abdominal muscles. They aid both For all sports and athletics, strong legs
digestion and elimination. are an obvious necessity. In boxing, base-
If you do nothing other than follow ball, basketball, tennis, the martial arts,
the exercises for complete abdominal track, and football, the loss of strength,
development on pages 196-199, it will endurance, and stamina will end a career
repay you many times your investment in in a hurry. But it need not be so. For exam-
health, strength, and vibrancy. ple, when I was a kid the light heavyweight
champion of the world, Archie Moore, was
10. External defending his title when he was well past
Oblique Muscles 50 years of age, and the reason he could
These are the muscles on was because of his extraordinary strength
both sides of the abdomen and conditioning. So if you want to stay
and lower back. When young, strong, and virile for life, perform
well developed, these mus- L----=~__LL___.__J the exercises found on pages 200-211 and
cles stabilize the entire upper body struc- keep your thighs and hips strong for life.
ture and add great strength and power to all
twisting movements, whether you're belt- 12. Calves
ing home runs, fighting for the heavy- . The calves, together with
weight championship, or lifting your little the feet, are the founda-
boy or girl from a car seat. The point is, tion upon which your
these muscles are important, and they need • entire body stands, and as
to be strengthened and developed along a foundation it should be 1l--_ --L.l.JIllLL_--.--J

CLASSIC ISOMETRICS FOR A POWERFUL PHYSIQUE I 141

 the strongest that you can possibly make
it. Strengthening and shaping your calves
will let you stand longer, walker farther,
run faster, and jump higher than you ever
thought possible.
CLASSIC ISOMETRIC CONTRACTION
EXERCISES FOR HEALTH, STRENGTH,
AND A SCULPTED PHYSIQUE
r learned the following series of eIe
exercises to strengthen and sculpt every •
muscle in the entire body from your neck
to your toes from my uncle Milo. Please .
note that absolutely no equipment other
than a chair and wall is ever needed. Most .
of these exercises can be performed
virtually anywhere-at home, at the
office, in school, or riding on a bus or
train. All of them will strengthen tendons
and ligaments as well as muscles, producing
strength that is truly functional.
All of the ere exercises are easy to learn.
However, that is the only easy thing
about them . eres can and will produce
magnificent results, but they require a
laser-like focus between your mind and
your muscles and the ability to push
yourself to maintain incredibly high
levels of tension for 7 to 12 seconds in
duration. Trust me: there is nothing easy
about it. For all of them, the following
seven rules apply.
THE SEVEN GOLDEN RULES OF
ISOMETRIC POWER
I. All exercises using the right arm, right
leg, or any muscle group on the right
side of the body MUST also be repeated
with the left arm, left leg, or the .
142 I ISOMETRIC POWERReVOLUTION
corresponding part on the left side of
the body with equal intensity. No
Exceptions. This will ensure symmetrical
development.
2. With few exceptions, each ere will be
held at three angles within any given
range of motion. These positions
include:
A . Near full extension-the muscle in
most stretched position.
B. Midway between full extension and
peak contraction.
C . Peak contraction-the muscle is at
its shortest, most contracted position.
NOTE: Theories abound about which
position yields the greatest result. But
the way I view it, why leave any room
for doubt when you can exercise the
mu~e~allilireean~~?O~ya~~
moron or couch potato would complain
about the multi-angle approach.
3. When pOSSible, especially as you are
learning the exercises, perform the
exercises in front of a mirror and wear
as little clothing as possible. This
accomplishes three goals. First, it
helps you learn proper form when
you compare your form to the form
you see in the book photos. Second, it
helps you comprehend how the
muscles respond at various levels of
contraction and intenSity: "This is
how it looks, and this is how it feels at
this level of contraction. And, third,
II
when you can see your muscles
contracting, it becomes easier to focus
and intensify your contractions.
4. The intensity of either pushing or .
pulling and the resistance to it must .
also be of equal intensity so that there
is no movement, whether your muscles
are being contracted at 30 or 70 percent
or more of maximum strength. The .
level of contraction and opposing .
force must remain equal at all times.
5. Correct breathing procedure-there
are three phases to each contraction.
• Slowly build contraction to peak
intensity for 3 to 4 seconds while
deeply inhaling.
• Upon reaching peak contraction, slowly
start a controlled exhalation in order
to maintain uniform intrathoraxic
pressure. This is done by making an
f-f-f-f or s-s-s-s sound as you exhale air Now that you know the rules, let's get
slowly through closed teeth or lips. It . back to the rat killin'. We'll start at the
should literally sound like air being
released from a tire. This procedure
should last from 7 to 12 seconds while
maintaining great intensity during the
contraction.
• Slowly release tension for 3 to 4
seconds while inhaling.
6. Relax completely between exercises
by power breathing as deeply as
possible for 7 to 10 repetitions while
intentionally relaxing your muscles
and making them as soft and supple
as you possibly can. This will dramati-
cally enhance results by oxygenating
the working muscles with fresh
oxygen-rich blood, which will make
it possible for you to train with still
greater intensity.
7. Follow the first six rules to the letter.
Your success depends on it.
neck and systematically work the entire
muscle structure of the body right down
to your calves.
CLASSIC ISOMETRICS FOR A POWERFUL PHYSIQUE I 143
 NECK & TRAPEZ I US

NECK EXERCISE #1

Reverse Nee k Contraction

POSITION A: Stand erect with your feet about 12" apart. Clasp your hands behind your
head and interlock your fingers with your chin tucked close to the chest as shown. Now push
your head firmly up while resisting with your hands. Maintain an intense contraction 7 to 12
seconds while following correct breathing procedures. Relax.
PO SIT ION S BAN DC: Repeat exercise following the same breathing procedures,
relaxing and then moving to exercise #2.

144 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

POSITIONS

c
 NECK & TRAPEZIUS

NECK EXERCISE #2

Forward Nee k Contrac t ion

POSITION A: With your head tilted back and hands placed on your forehead as shown,
begin pushing up and forward against the resistance of your hands. Maintain peak
contraction for 7 to 12 seconds while following correct breathing procedure. Relax.
POSITIONS BAND C: Repeat exercise as described above. Relax . Take 7 to 10 power
breaths and move to exercise #3 .

146 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

POSITIONS

c
 NECK & TRAPEZIUS

NECK EXERCISE #3

Sid e N e c k Contraction (left to right)

PO SIT ION A: With the left side of your head close to your left shoulder, place your right
hand on the right side of your head as shown. Begin pushing your head to the right side while
resisting with your right hand. Maintain intensity for 7 to 12 seconds while following the
correct breathing procedure. Relax. Breathe deeply and then repeat in positions Band C.

148 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

POSITIONS

c
 NECK & TRAPEZIUS

NECK EXERCISE #4

Sid e N e c k Contraction (right to left)

POSITION A , B, AND C : Follow the exact same procedures as in Neck Exercise #3,
moving from right to left while following the correct breathing procedure in all three
positions. Relax. Take 10 power breaths and proceed to exercise #5 .

150 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

POSITIONS

c
 N ECK & T R A P EZ IU S

NECK EXERCISE #S

Trapezius Contraction

In the previous 4 exercises, we have exercised the neck and trapezius muscles together. In this
final exercise for this series, we will isolate the trapezius for one intense contraction.
Sit in a chair with your feet approximately 12" apart. Grasp the bottom of the chair seat with
your hands (as shown) and bring your shoulders upward until your arms are fully extended.
Follow the correct breathing procedure while working to achieve the maximum contraction.
Then slowly begin exhaling while making an f-f-f-f or 5-5-5-5 sound, maintaining your peak
contraction for 7 to 12 seconds. Slowly release your contraction for 3 to 4 seconds while
breathing in. Relax.
Congratulations! You have just completed the entire neck and trapezius series.

152 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

 SHOULDERS

SHOULDER EXERCISE #1

One Arm Pre s s

POSITION A: Stand erect with your feet about 12" apart. Clench your right fist as tightly as
possible and bend your elbow as shown so that your right fist is in front of your right shoulder.
Place your left hand over your right fist. Now slowly begin pushing upward with your right fist
while resisting with your left hand. Build to peak intensity for 3 to 4 seconds, maintain
maximum tension for 7 to 12 seconds, and then slowly release while following the proper
breathing procedure.
After 7 to 10 power breaths, repeat the exercise from the left side, following the exact same
procedure as outlined above.
PO SIT ION B: Repeat the exercise as described above, but raise your right fist to forehead
level. Once again, build and maintain your contraction while following the correct breathing
procedure. Relax. Power breathe and switch to left side and repeat.
PO SIT ION C: Repeat the exercise as shown in position C with arms near full extension.
Switch sides and repeat, always following the correct breathing procedure.

154 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

 POSITIONS

CLASSIC ISOMETRICS FOR A POWERFUL PHYSIOUE I 1!,)!,)

 SHOULDERS

SHOULDER EXERCISE #2

Fro n t Deltoid Contraction

POSITION A: Stand erect with your feet about 12" apart. Clench your right fist as power-
fully as possible. Grasp the back of your right wrist with your left hand about 6" in front of
your right thigh. Keeping your arm straight, push your right hand firmly upward while
powerfully resisting with your left hand. Slowly build the tension while following correct
breathing procedures. Maintain maximum tension for 7 to 12 seconds. Relax . Power
breathe, then switch sides and repeat.

PO SIT ION B: Repeat the exercise as described above, and elevate your right arm to just
above waist level. Upon completion, switch hands to right over left and repeat.
PO SIT ION C: Follow the same procedures as outlined above, only your right fist is about
shoulder level or just slightly below. Once again, maintain the maximum tension for 7 to 12
seconds, then switch hands with your right over left and repeat the entire procedure with
focused breathing as outlined previously. Relax. Practice power breathing, then move on to
exercise #3.

156 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

A

POSITIONS

I ,
 SHOULDERS

SHOULDER EXERCISE #3

Sid e Deltoid R 0 is e

PO SIT ION A, B, AND C: Observe the photos showing each position. Note that we are
raising our arm diagonally out to the side. Position A begins about 6" away from the right
thigh; position B is at approximately waist levet and position C is at approximately shoulder
level or slightly below. Follow the correct breathing protocols and hold your peak contraction
for 7 to 12 seconds in each position. Remember to perform all three contractions from both
sides of the body.

158 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

A B

POSITIONS

CLASSIC ISOMETRICS FOR A POWERRJL PHYSIOUE I 159

 S H O ULD E R S

SHOULDER EXERCISE #4

Back Deltoid Contraction

POSITION A, B, AND C: Study the photos carefully. We start with the right hand 6"
from the body and directly at the centerline, with your left hand grasping the back of your
right hand. This time, however, we endeavor to pull the right arm directly sideways and back.
As you will soon discover, you will feel an intense contraction in the rear deltoid muscle.
Upon reaching maximum contraction, hold it for 7 to 12 seconds. Then switch hands with
your right hand over your left hand and repeat, endeavoring to pull your left arm directly to
the left side and back.
Be sure to follow the correct breathing procedure during all CICs. That means to slowly build
tension while deeply inhaling for 3 to 4 seconds, holding the peak contraction for 7 to 12
seconds while exhaling slowly and making an f-f-f-f or s-s-s-s sound (it sounds like air being
let out of a tire), and finally slowly releasing tension for 3 to 4 seconds while inhaling. Then
relax. Power breathe for 7 to 10 breaths and continue to positions Band C and be sure to
exercise both shoulders equally.

160 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

A

POSITIONS

c
 BICEPS / TRIC~PS BUI D fl.':

BICEPS/TRICEPS EXERCISE #1

Biceps Cur I

POSITION A: Stand erect with your feet about 12" apart. With your right arm at the right side
of your body and slightly bent at the right elbow, clench your right fist tightly. Place your left hand
over your right fist as shown. Pull your right fist toward your right shoulder while powerfully
resisting with your left hand. Slowly build tension for 3 to 4 seconds while inhaling. Hold your
peak contraction 7 to 12 seconds while slowly exhaling and making an f-f-f-f or 5-5-5-5 sound. Then
slowly release the contraction another 3 to 4 seconds while inhaling slowly. Relax. Power breathe.
Then repeat with your left side following the exact same procedures outlined above.
POSITION B: Same exercise as above only the angle is changed so that your clenched fist
is at about 90°. Follow the exact same protocols as in position A. Upon completion, repeat the
contraction with your right hand over your left fist.
PO SIT ION C: Repeat the exercise as described above. This time raise your right fist to a
position parallel to your right shoulder with your arm bent at the elbow. Maintain peak
intensity for 7 to 12 seconds while following the correct breathing protocols. Relax and
repeat with your left arm.

162 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

A B

POSITIONS

-------------------
c
 B I CEPS/TR I CEPS BUI D ULS

BICEPS/TRICEPS EXERCISE #2

Triceps Pre s s Down

POSITION A: Stand erect with your feet about 12" apart. With your elbow bent, clench
your right fist (fingers facing down) and hold your fist in front of your right shoulder. Grasp
your right fist with your left hand as shown. Press downward powerfully while resisting with
your left hand. Slowly build tension for 3 to 4 seconds while inhaling. Hold your peak
intensity for 7 to 12 seconds while slowly exhaling and making an f-f-f-f or 5-5-5-5 sound. Then
slowly release the contraction for another 3 to 4 seconds while inhaling slowly. Relax. Perform
7 to 10 power breaths. Then repeat with your left fist while resisting with your right hand.
POSITION B: Repeat the exercise exactly as described above, but lower the right fist to
about a 90· angle as shown in the photo. Follow the exact same protocols for breathing,
contracting, and releasing the contraction. Upon completion, repeat the contraction with
your right hand resisting your left fist.

164 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

 POSITIONS

POSITION C: Follow the exact same

protocols as given in positions A and B.
This time, however, begin with your
right fist approximately 7" lower than in
position B. Grasp your right fist as
shown and powerfully press down while
resisting mightily with your left hand.
Follow the same breathing, contracting,
and releasing protocols. Relax. Perform
7 to 10 power breaths. Then finish up
by repeating position C with your left
fist while resisting with your right hand.

c
 B ICE P S / T RIC E P S B U l L D!.-I--.... ".,

BICEPS/TRICEPS EXERCISE #3

({ The Milo" 8 Ice ps/ T ric e ps

Contraction

You may remember what I wrote previously about my uncle Milo having the most perfectly
developed physique I've ever seen. He was 6'3", 210 pounds, and literally looked like what you'd
expect the Super Hero "Doc Savage" to look like. Just as the Doc Savage books clearly stated that
Doc developed his incredible strength and physique by following Charles Atlas's Dynamic
Tension Methods, so did my uncle Milo. And though I've seen many men over the years who had
bigger and bulkier arms than my uncle, not one has ever come close to the perfectly sculpted look
of my uncle's arms. After he started performing the Atlas exercises in an Isometric fashion, he
came up with this biceps/triceps contraction that I have never seen anywhere else. For many men
and women, it quickly becomes their favorite arm-developing exercise because it fully engages
every muscle group of the entire hand-and-arm structure. In addition, because the muscles are
worked directly in the centerline of the body, many people discover they can apply maximum
levels of contraction more easily because of greatly enhanced leverage.
Here's how "The Milo" is done.
POSITION A: Stand erect with your feet about 12" apart. Clench both fists as tightly as
possible and place them as shown with your left fist over your right at close to full extension

166 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

 POSITIONS

about 6" from the centerline of the body. With your right arm pulling up and your left arm
pressing down, slowly build tension in both arms while inhaling for 3 to 4 seconds until you
reach maximum contraction. Hold this maximum contraction for 7 to 12 seconds, slowly
exhaling and making an f-f-f-f or 5-5-5-5 sound. Then slowly release the tension for another
3 to 4 seconds while inhaling slowly. Relax. Power breathe, then switch arms to right over left,
following the exact same breathing and contraction procedures outlined above.
PO SIT ION B: Follow the exact procedures as outlined in position A, with your left fist over
your right, but this time begin the contraction with your arms at about 90·. Utilize the same
breathing and contraction protocols as stated previously on this and all ere exercises. Upon
completion, switch the positions of your fists and continue with your right fist over the left.
PO SIT ION C: Repeat the above exercise with your arms in position as shown. Your left fist
is over the right and directly in front of the sternum in the centerline of the body. Your left
fist will be about 6" from your body. Follow the correct breathing and contraction procedures
outlined above. Upon completion, relax. Power breathe, and then continue with one final
contraction starting with your right fist over the left.
 A Must for All Athletes and Sportsmen

FOR SUPER STRONG FINGER

WR I STS, AND FOREAR S

FINGERS, WRISTS, AND FOREARMS

Exercise #1

POSITION A, S, AN D C: Stand erect with your feet about 12" apart. Bring the tips of the
fingers on both of your hands together, about 3" away from the center of your chest. Spread
your fingers wide and press the fingertips of your right hand and left hands firmly together.
Slowly inhale for 3 to 4 seconds while increasing the tension in the opposing fingers to the
maximum. Hold the contraction for 7 to 12 seconds while slowly exhaling and making an f-f-
f-f or 5-5-5-5 sound. Slowly inhale for another 3 to 4 seconds while releasing tension. Relax.
Power breathe, then move on to exercise #2.

168 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

POSITIONS

c
 FOR SUPER STRONG FINGER~
WRISTS, AND FORE A...,R MS

FINGERS, WRISTS, AND FOREARMS

Exercise # 2

POSITION A, B, AN D C: Stand erect with your feet about 12" apart and approximately 3'
from a wall. Place the fingertips of both hands against the wall with hands about 12" apart while
keeping your arms straight. Press firmly against the wall while applying correct breathing and
contraction procedures. Upon completion, relax. Power breathe and continue on to exercise #3.

170 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

POSITIONS

c
 FOR SUPER STRONG FINGER~
WRISTS, AND FOREAR S

FINGERS, WRISTS, AND FOREARMS

Exercise #3

PO SIT ION A, B, AND C: Sit in a chair facing a table or desk. Place the fingertips of both
your hands on the edge of the table or desk. Press your fingertips firmly downward and build
in intensity while inhaling for 3 to 4 seconds. Hold the peak intensity for 7 to 12 seconds,
exhaling slowly while making an f-f-f-f or 5-5-5-5 sound. Slowly release pressure for 3 to 4
seconds while breathing in. Relax. Take 7 to 10 power breaths, then move on to exercise #4.

172 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

POSITIONS
 FOR SUPER STRONG FINGER
WRISTS, AND FOREA MS

FINGERS, WRISTS, AND FOREARMS

Exercise #4

PO SIT ION A. B. AND C: Sit in a chair. Place the back of your right forearm on your right
thigh (palm facing up) with the hand extending over your right knee. Clench your right hand
into a tight fist, powerfully flexing your wrist and contracting your right forearm
muscles. Place your left hand over your right as shown. Pull your right fist upward while firmly
resisting with your left hand. All the while, practice the correct breathing and contraction pro-
tocol as given in the previous exercises. Upon completion, relax. Power breathe 7 to 10 repeti-
tions and then perform the same contraction with your left wrist and forearm, resisting with
your right hand.

174 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

POSITIONS

c
 FOR SUPER STRONG FINGER
WRISTS, AND F O RE fU:j S

FINGERS, WRISTS, AND FOREARMS

Exercise #5

PO SIT ION A, B, AND C: Repeat exercise #4, but this time the underside of your forearm
will be in contact with your right thigh, and your palm will be facing down. Place your left
hand over your right (the back of this fist this time) and endeavor to flex your wrist back and
up while following the correct breathing and contraction protocols given previously. Take 10
to 12 power breaths and repeat with your right hand resisting the left fist. When
finished, take 10 power breaths and finish up with exercise #6.

176 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

POSITIONS
 FOR SUPER STRONG FINGER
W R 1ST S, AND F 0 R..E ARM S

FINGERS, WRISTS, AND FOREARMS

Exercise # 6

PO SIT ION A, B, AND C: Repeat exercises #4 and 5, but this time your fist and forearm
will be sideways with your thumb and forefinger facing up. While supplying powerful
resistance from your left hand, endeavor to flex your right fist up. Practice the correct breathing
and contraction protocols. Relax. Power breathe and then perform the same exercises on your
left side. When completed, practice 7 to 10 more power breaths before continuing.
Now that we have worked the muscles of our neck, trapezius, shoulders, upper arms, wrists,
fingers, and forearms, we are ready to focus directly upon the pectoral muscles of the chest.

178 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

 B

POSITIONS

c
 C H EST

CHEST EXERCISE #1

Pectoral Contraction for

the Mid C h est
POSITIONS A, B, AND C: Stand erect with your feet about 12" apart. Clasp your
hands at the center of your chest as shown with the fingers of your right hand in the top
position between the thumb and forefinger of your left hand. Extend your elbows outward
and slightly away from your chest. Press your hands firmly against each other while slowly
building tension as you inhale for 3 to 4 seconds until you reach maximum contraction. At
that pOint, slowly begin a controlled exhale for 7 to 12 seconds while maintaining a
maximum muscular contraction. Then slowly release the tension as you inhale deeply for
3 to 4 seconds. Relax. Take 7 to 10 deep power breaths, and then repeat the exercise while
changing the relative positions of your hands with the fingers of your left hand in the top
position between the thumb and forefinger of your right hand. Follow the breathing and
contraction procedures outlined above. Relax. Take 10 power breaths and move to exercise #2.
NOTE: On all the chest contractions you can also perform two additional contractions by
placing your left fist in the palm of your right hand and completing the contraction. Then
reverse it with your right fist in your left palm. Obviously, all 4 pectoral contractions build
your arms, back, and abs as well as other supportive muscular structures.

180 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

POSITIONS

c
 C H EST

CHEST EXERCISE #2

Pectoral Contraction #2

POSITIONS A, B, AND C: Same exercise in concept as exercise #1 except this time we

raise our arms to just below chin level in front of the center of our neck. Clasp your hands so
that the right hand occupies the top position with the fingers of your right hand between the
thumb and forefingers of your left hand.
Perform the exercise exactly as described previously. Upon completion, relax. Power breathe,
then repeat with your left hand occupying the top pOSition with the fingers of your left hand
between the thumb and forefingers of your right hand. Remember to follow the exact
breathing and contraction protocols for this and all other CIC exercises. That means:
• 3 to 4 seconds inhalation while building to maximum contraction.
• 7 to 12 seconds maintaining a maximum contraction while exhaling slowly and making
an f-f-f-f or 5-5-5-5 sound.
• Inhale slowly for another 3 to 4 seconds while releasing the tension.
• Relax. Take 7 to 10 power breaths.

182 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

POSITIONS

c
 C H EST

CHEST EXERCISE #3

Pectoral Contraction #3

PO SIT ION SA, B, AND C: Study the photos. Note that this contraction begins at fore-
head level. Clasp your hands so that the righ~ hand occupies the top position with the fingers
of your right hand between the thumb and forefingers of your left hand. Follow the correct
breathing and contraction protocols while intensifying the contractions for 3 to 4 seconds.
Maintain a peak contraction for 7 to 12 seconds, practicing a controlled exhalation while
making an f-f-f-f or s-s-s-s sound. And, finally, slowly inhale while releasing the tension for 3
to 4 seconds. Power breathe for 10 repetitions. Then repeat with your left hand occupying the
top position with the fingers of your left hand between the thumb and forefingers of your
right hand.

184 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

 POSITIONS

CLASSIC ISOMETRICS FOR A POWERRJL PHYSIOUE I 1 R'i

 For a Wide " V" Shaped Back

LATISS I MUS DORSI MUSCLES

OF THE UPPER BACK

LATISSIMUS DORSI MUSCLES

Exercise #1

POSITION A: Sit erect on a chair. Bring your right knee up, with your right foot about 12"
off the floor. Clasp both hands around your right knee, interlocking the fingers and keeping
your arms straight. Now endeavor to pull your right knee back while resisting the effort with
your right leg. Slowly intensify the effort while inhaling 3 to 4 seconds until you reach peak
contraction. Begin a slowly controlled exhalation for 7 to 12 seconds while making an f-f-f-f
or s-s-s-s sound and maintaining the intensity of the contraction the entire time. Then slowly
release the tension as you inhale for 3 to 4 seconds. Relax. Power breathe for 7 to 10 repeti-
tions, and then repeat the entire procedure on the left side.
POSITION B: Repeat the previous exercise but raise your right knee 4" to 6" higher while
bending the arms appropriately for maximum contraction. Follow the exact same breathing
and contraction protocols. Upon completion, relax. Power breathe for 7 to 10 repetitions, and
then repeat the entire procedure on the left side.

186 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

 A B

POSITIONS

PO SIT ION C: Repeat the exercise

described above with the knee raised
higher and the arms bent farther. Follow
the same protocols for breathing and
contraction. Upon completion, relax.
Power breathe for 7 to 10 repetitions,
and then perform one last repetition for
the left side of the body.

A •• 6!!> ....... • ~ ...... _ . " " • ...... _ • __ ".,P __ .• _ •• _~._.I" t ..........

 LA TI SS I M U S DORSI MUSCLE~
OF T H E UP P ER BAC

LATISSIMUS DORSI MUSCLES

Exercise # 2

POSITION A: Bend forward from the waist as shown. Interlock the fingers of both your
hands just above the backside of your right knee. With your arms pulling as shown, try to
straighten your upper body against the resistance of your right leg. Slowly build tension
while inhaling 3 to 4 seconds. Upon reaching peak contraction, begin a slowly controlled
exhalation for 7 to 12 seconds while making an f-f-f-f or s-s-s-s sound and maintaining the
intensity of the contraction the entire time. Then slowly release the tension while breathing
in for another 3 to 4 seconds. Relax. Power breathe, and then repeat the entire procedure on
the left side.
POSITION B: Repeat the previous exercise but raise your right knee and foot approxi-
mately 6" to 8" from the floor. Follow the correct breathing and contraction protocols.
Upon completion, relax. Power breathe for 7 to 10 repetitions, then repeat the entire
exercise on the left side.

188 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

 A B

P OSITIONS

PO SIT ION C: Repeat the exercise

described above except that your right
knee is bent still farther and your right
foot is now raised 12" to 16" from the
floor. Follow the same protocols for
breathing and contraction. Upon
completion, relax. Power breathe, and
then perform one last contraction on
the left side of the body.
Pay special attention to this exercise
because it also enhances balance in a 12-16"
big way.

c
 The following exercises for the erector
spinal muscles yield exceptional results

quickly and safely. This area is important

to keep strong because the back ties into
the abdominal area. Strong abs alone
will not guarantee a pain-free back. But

with these exercises, you 'll go a long way

toward remaining pain free for life.

S PIN E

ERECTOR SPINAL MUSCLES

Exercise #1

Lie facedown on a mat, carpet, or bed with your feet close together, toes pointed, and head
slightly raised. Place your hands behind your head, interlocking your fingers as shown. Now
slowly inhale as you push upward firmly with both your head and shoulders for 3 to 4 sec-
onds while reSisting powerfully with your hands at the same time. As you achieve a peak
contraction, slowly begin a controlled exhale, making an f-f-f-f or s-s-s-s sound for 7 to 12
seconds while maintaining the intensity of the contraction the entire time. Upon comple-
tion, slowly release the tension while inhaling 3 to 4 more seconds. Relax. Power breathe for
7 to 10 repetitiOns.

190 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

CORRECT HAND PLACEMENT
 S PIN E

ERECTOR SPINAL MUSCLES

Exercise # 2

While lying facedown on a stool or chair that is cushioned, place your hands behind your
head and slowly raise both your head and feet upward while inhaling for 3 to 4 seconds and
feeling the muscles in your lower back powerfully contract. Upon reaching peak contraction,
slowly exhale for 7 to 12 seconds while making an f-f-f-f or s-s-s-s sound and maintaining the
intensity of the contraction the entire time. Slowly release the tension for another 3 to 4 more
seconds while breathing in. Relax. Take 7 to 10 power breaths.
The range of motion with this exercise is very short but very powerful. You may also perform
the exercise with your arms straight in front of you. (And, no, you don't have to be Superman
to do this, although you may look like him if you keep exercising!)

192 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

CORRECT HAND PLACEMENT

CLASSIC ISOMETRICS FOR A POWERFUL PHYSIQUE I 193

 Of Special Importance to
Athletes and Sportsmen

E XTER N A L O B L IQ UES

EXTERNAL OBLIQUES

Exercise #1

POSITION A: Stand erect with your feet about 12" apart. Place your hands behind your
head and interlock your fingers. While inhaling slowly for 3 to 4 seconds, bend to the right
until you feel the muscles in your right side powerfully contracting. At that point, slowly
exhale for 7 to 12 seconds while maintaining peak contraction. Upon completion, slowly
release the tension while inhaling for 3 to 4 seconds. Relax. Power breathe, then repeat on
your left side.
PO SIT ION B: Repeat the previous exercise following the exact same protocols except
you'll start with your feet just 6" apart. (And, yes, this change of position makes a difference.)
Be sure to complete on your left side as well.
PO SIT ION C: Repeat the previous exercise except this time your feet will be together.
Follow the same breathing and contraction protocols.

194 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

 B

POSITIONS

A c

CLASSIC ISOMETRICS FOR A POWERFUL PHYSIQUE I 195

 ,

To Strengthen and Firm

the Entire Abdominal Structure

ABDOMINALS

ABDOMINALS EXERCISE #1

Iso Sit-Up

POSITION A, B, AND C: Lie on the floor with your feet together and toes pOinted
forward and down. Tightly clench your fists and position them on your forehead. Now
raise your head and shoulders off the ground and endeavor to touch your chin to your
chest as you inhale for 3 to 4 seconds while trying to sit up against the powerful resistance
provided by your hands. You won't be able to sit up, but trying to do so will cause a
powerful muscle contraction of the abdominal muscles. As you reach peak contraction of
your rectus abdominis muscle, begin a slow controlled exhale for 7 to 12 seconds while
maintaining as powerful a contraction as possible of your abdominal muscles. Upon
completion, slowly release the tension for 3 to 4 seconds and relax completely.

196 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

 A

POSITIONS

c
 ABDOMINALS

ABDOMINALS EXERCISE #2

Iso Leg RaIse for the Lower

Abdomlna/s

PO SIT ION A, B, AND C: Lie on your back as in the previous exercise. Place your right
foot over your left ankle. Raise both feet about 6" from the floor, bracing yourself as shown.
While inhaling for 3 to 4 seconds, slowly press your left foot upward while powerfully
resisting with your right foot. Upon reaching peak contraction, slowly begin a controlled
exhale for 7 to 12 seconds while making an f-f-f-f or s-s-s-s sound and maintaining the
intensity of the contraction the entire time. Upon completion, slowly release the tension
while breathing in for another 3 to 4 more seconds. Relax. Power breathe for 7 to 10
repetitions, and repeat for one more contraction with your left foot over your right ankle.

198 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

 A

POSITIONS

c
 Especially Important for Contact
Sports, Martial Arts, Being Strong
and Looking Good

HIPS, GlUTES , THIGHS,

AND CALVES

HIPS, GLUTES, THIGHS, AND CALVES

Exercise #1

PO SIT ION A: Start with your right side facing the wall and your feet about 12" apart. Your
right foot will be about 12" from the wall. Holding your left hand on a chair for balance,
place your right foot against the wall about 6" off the floor, keeping the leg straight. Now
press your right foot firmly against the wall, building tension as you inhale for 3 to 4
seconds. Upon reaching peak contraction, begin a slow, controlled exhalation for 7 to 12
seconds while making an f-f-f-f or s-s-s-s sound, all the while maintaining the intensity of the
muscle contraction. Slowly release tension while inhaling 3 to 4 seconds and then relax.
Power breathe 7 to 10 repetitions and then repeat with the left leg.
PO SIT ION B: Repeat the exercise above, but turn your back to the wall and place your right
heel against the wall as shown. Once again follow the exact same breathing and contraction
protocols as outlined in the previous exercise. Be sure to exercise both sides.

200 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

 POSITIONS

PO SIT ION C: Repeat the exercise

one final time. However, this time you
will be facing the wall with the toes of
your right foot making contact with the
wall about 6" from the floor. Follow the
same breathing and tension protocols.
Relax. Power breathe and repeat with
your left foot.
 HIPS, GLUTES, THIGHS,
AND CALVES

HIPS, GLUTES, THIGHS, AND CALVES

Exercise # 2

POS IT ION A: Wall Squat (feet flat). Perform a half squat against a wall as shown. Note that
your thighs are at 90°. Press your glutes and back into the wall as you press your lower legs
and feet flat into the floor. Slowly build tension for 3 to 4 seconds while inhaling. Maintain
peak contraction for 7 to 12 seconds while performing a slow controlled exhalation and
making an f-f-f-f or s-s-s-s sound. Slowly release tension for 3 to 4 seconds while inhaling, then
completely relax. Power breathe for 7 to 10 repetitions.
PO SIT ION B: Wall Squat, Heel Press. Same position as the previous exercise except you
press down powerfully with your heels while raising your toes and contracting the entire leg
and hip structure as powerfully as possible for 7 to 12 seconds. Follow the same breathing and
contraction protocols as outlined above. Be sure to relax as completely as possible between
exercises and power breathe.

202 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

 POSITIONS

PO SIT ION C: Wall Squat on Tiptoes.

Same position as the previous two
exercises. This time rise as high as possible
on your tiptoes and contract the calf
muscles of the lower leg as powerfully as
possible in addition to the muscles of the
thighs and hips. Remember to build
tension for 3 to 4 seconds while inhaling.
Maintain maximum contraction for 7 to
12 seconds while slowly exhaling and
making an f-f-f-f or S-S-5-S sound and then
slowly release tension while inhaling for
2 to 4 seconds. Completely relax and
then power breathe 7 to 10 repetitions.
 HIPS, GLUTES , THI G H S,
AND CA L VES

HIPS, GLUTES, THIGHS, AND CALVES

Exercise #3-Leg Cur I

(to Strengthen the Muscles and Bock of Thighs)

POSITION A: Lie facedown (as shown) with your feet close together and head raised,
resting your weight on your hands and elbows. Place your left foot over your right ankle,
keeping your feet about 3" off the floor (as shown). Pull firmly upward with the right foot,
while resisting powerfully with the left foot . Slowly build tension 3 to 4 seconds while
inhaling. Maintain peak contraction for 7 to 12 seconds while slowly exhaling and making
an f-f-f-f or 5-5-5-5 sound. Slowly release tension while breathing in and then completely
relax while power breathing. Switch legs and repeat.
POSITION B: Repeat the exercise above but raise your feet an additional 6" (as shown
here). Follow the same breathing and contraction procedures as outlined above. Switch legs
and repeat.
PO SIT ION C: Repeat one final time but raise your feet to about a 90° angle. Follow same
breathing and contraction protocols outlined above and repeat with opposite legs.

204 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

 A

POSITIONS

CLASSIC ISOMETRICS FOR A POWERFUL PHYSIQUE I 205

 HIPS, GLUTES, THIGHS,
AND CALVES

HIPS, GLUTES, THIGHS, AND CALVES

ExercIse #4-Front T h i g h
and Knee Exercise

PO SIT ION A: Sit in a chair with your feet close together. Grasp the sides of the chair with
your hands, Place the back of your left ankle over the front of your right ankle. Raise the feet
a few inches off the ground (as shown). Now push upward powerfully with the right while
resisting with the left foot. Slowly build tension 3 to 4 seconds while inhaling. Maintain
maximum tension for 7 to 12 seconds while slowly exhaling and making an f-f-f-f or s-s-s-s
sound and then slowly release tension while inhaling for 3 to 4 seconds. Relax. Power
breathe. Switch feet and continue.

PO SIT ION B: Repeat the exercise described above with the feet raised about 6" off the
floor. Follow the same procedures as outlined above for the breathing and contraction. Relax.
Power breathe. Switch feet and perform once again.

206 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

 POSITIONS

PO SIT ION C: Repeat the exercise

one final time with the feet raised about
10" from the floor. Follow the same
breathing and contraction procedures
outlined above. Relax. Power breathe.
Switch feet and perform one more
repetition.

(17
 HIPS, GLUTES, THIGHS ,
AND CALVES

HIPS, GLUTES, THIGHS, AND CALVES

ExercIse #5-/nner and

Outer Thl gh Exercise
POSITION A: Sit in a chair with your feet about 12" apart. Place the palms of your hands
on the inside of each knee (as shown). Now slowly attempt to press your thighs together
while powerfully resisting with your hands. Slowly build tension for 3 to 4 seconds while
breathing in. Maintain peak contractions 7 to 12 seconds while exhaling and making an
f-f-f-f or 5-5-5-5 sound, then slowly relax while inhaling for another 3 to 4 seconds.

PO SIT ION B: Repeat the exercise described above. This time, however, place your palms
on the outer part of each knee. Press firmly outward while observing the same breathing and
contraction procedures outlined above. Relax. Power breathe.

208 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

POSITIONS
 HIPS, GLUTES , THIGHS,
AND CALVES

HIPS, GLUTES, THIGHS, AND CALVES

Exercise #6-3-Level
Calf Raise
POSITION A : Sit on the edge of a chair with your feet about 6" apart. Place the palms of
your hands on the tops of your thighs (as shown). Now push firmly up from your toes while
pushing down with your hands powerfully. Slowly build tension while inhaling for 3 to 4
seconds. Maintain peak contraction for 7 to 12 seconds while slowly exhaling and making
an f-f-f-f or 5-5-5-5 sound, then slowly release the tension as you inhale for 3 to 4
seconds. Relax.
POSITION B: Repeat the exercise described above, but raise your heels about 3" off the
floor. Push up from the toes and resist with the palms of the hand. Follow the breathing and
contraction procedures as outlined above.

210 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

 POSITIONS

POSITION C: Repeat the above

exercise one final repetition. This time
raise your heels about 6" from the floor.
Follow the breathing and contraction
procedures from above and relax com-
pletely upon completion.
 H IPS, GLUTES, THIGHS,
AND CA L VES

HIPS, GLUTES, THIGHS, AND CALVES

Exercise #6-3-Level
Calf Raise
POSITION A: Sit on the edge of a chair with your feet about 6" apart. Place the palms of
your hands on the tops of your thighs (as shown). Now push firmly up from your toes while
pushing down with your hands powerfully. Slowly build tension while inhaling for 3 to 4
seconds. Maintain peak contraction for 7 to 12 seconds while slowly exhaling and making
an f-f-f-f or 5-5-5-5 sound, then slowly release the tension as you inhale for 3 to 4
seconds. Relax.

PO SIT ION B: Repeat the exercise described above, but raise your heels about 3" off the
floor. Push up from the toes and resist with the palms of the hand. Follow the breathing and
contraction procedures as outlined above.

210 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

 POSITIONS

POSITION C: Repeat the above

exercise one final repetition. This time
raise your heels about 6" from the floor.
Follow the breathing and contraction
procedures from above and relax com-
pletely upon completion.
 MUST
HOW TO USE CLASSIC ISOMETRIC
CONTRACTION TO YOUR BEST
ADVANTAGE
In all there are 34 separate Classic Isometric
Contractions, and in almost every case
there are 3 separate positions for each con-
traction. This means that you have a total
of over 100 Classic Isometric Contractions
that you can perform to sculpt and
strengthen every muscle from your neck to
your toes and to do so from multiple angles
for total strength development.
Now, you're probably wondering if you're
supposed to perform all 100 contractions
every day. Answer: NO! Not unless you're
doing penance for something really bad,
such as Robert De Niro had to do in the
movie, Th e Mission . Then, by all means,
you are allowed to torture yourself. But
aside from that (and getting serious
again), I don't want you to overdo it. •
Classic Isometric Contraction is the most
direct form of muscle strengthening and
body sculpting you can possibly do, and .
more is not always better.
Okay, now pay attention. It's perfectly
fine to perform all 34 contractions every
day as follows:
DAY I-You will perform all 34
contractions at angle/position" A."
DAY 2 -You will perform all 34
contractions at angle/position "B."
DAY 3 - You will perform all 34
contractions at angle/position "c."
212 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION
READ!
DAY 4 -Either rest completely or
begin once again at angie/position
"A," and keep rotating.
Personally, I'd like to see you take at least 1
day off every 7 days. But that's up to you.
Another way to implement these exercises
is as follows:
DAY I -Perform all S neck con-
tractions, all 3 biceps and triceps
contractions, and all 3 ab/oblique
exercises at all 3 angles of contrac-
tion for a total of 33 contractions.
DAY 2 -Perform all 4 shoulder
contractions, all 3 chest (pectoral)
contractions, and all 3 ab/oblique
exercises at all 3 angles for a total of
30 contractions.
DAY 3 -Perform both lat contrac-
tions, both spinal erector contrac-
tions (only 1 position in each of
these), all 3 ab/oblique contractions,
and all 6 hip, thigh, and calf con-
tractions at all angles for a total of
3S contractions.
You can also perform the finger, wrist,
and forearm exercises anytime you
desire at random moments throughout
the day.
And, finally, you're free to use any or all
of these Classic Isometric Contractions
any way you wish. For instance, you can
do them throughout the entire day. In
fact, that is exactly how the actor One last thing you might want to consid-
Charles Bronson, who was widely know er is to do Classic Isometric Contractions
for his incredible physique, performed • on one day and Isometric Power Flex
his Isometric Contractions. Those who Contractions the next.
knew him well said Bronson never lifted • And what is an Isometric Power Flex?
weights but constantly performed •
Well, turn the page "Kemo Sabe," and
Isometrics, and it showed.
you'll find out.

DAY 2 EXAMPLE

,
. ~
~
.~ .. ' ~,,,,... - . -
_ L "

~
 CHAPTER

A New Twist on a Great Concept for Anytime,

Anywhere Enhanced Strength and Muscu/ar Fitn
 CHAPTER
r=============~

SOMETRIC POW E R FLEXES

A New Twist on a Great Concept for Anytime,
Anywhere Enhanced Strength and Muscu/ar Fitness

M
y personal history of Isometric Power Flexes
begins back in the late 1960s. I had a friend
named Dave Cody, who was a pushover for
magazine and comic book ads that featured bodybuilding
and self-defense courses that promised incredible results
with little or no effort. If Dave saw it advertised, he
bought it! Naturally, I had shown him all the Charles Atlas
Dynamic Tension Body Building Course exercises, but to
no avail. Dave's idea of training did not involve performing
high numbers of push-ups, pull-ups, sit-ups, leg raises,

216 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

knee bends, handstands, or the full shoulder muscles and desperately needed
range of Charles Atlas Dynamic Tension • the course to correct it. I asked Dave how
(DVR/DSR) exercises. • many astronauts he thought there were
Dave wanted a bodybuilding system that . who could do three one-armed pull-ups, but
that did not deter him.
required little more effort than the exer- .
... 'flMf SIIINNY.. FAT,15,20, 30 .. 40n.......
tion required to send in his money order to • . ....,
SUllY

purchase it. When I tried to convince him

that hard work was required, I usually ran •
into circular reasoning. For instance, Dave
said to me, "The only reason that Charles
Atlas stuff works for you is because you're
the only guy in school who can do 30 .
pull-ups in a row." My response was, "The .
only reason I can do 30 pull-ups in a row is .
because I'm an Atlas student." But that .
didn't get me anywhere with Dave. Too .
much time and effort was required.

So Dave sent his hard-earned cash away
almost weekly. I remember one day when
he was thrilled about the American Body
Building Course. This course was promoted
by a man named Ben Rebhuhn, who
claimed on the back cover of a comic book
to be "The Molder of Champions," asking
young men if they wanted to be "astronaut
tough." Truth to tell, it included some of
the most outrageous ad copy I have ever
read and some of the worst retouched
photos I've ever seen.
The first piece of literature that Dave
received from Mr. Rebhuhn was a physical
self-assessment test to determine whether or
not he needed the American Body Building
Course. First on the assessment list was one-
armed pull-ups. According to Rebhuhn, if a
young man could not do at least three one-
armed pull-ups with either arm, it indicated
he had a severe weakness of the arm and
__. ..____ EI
.
_ _ c..- _ _ ._IAM
.
•
Mr. Rebhuhn then had "his mark"
. attempt to perform one-armed push-ups,
• one-legged deep knee bends, and a
. wrestler's bridge, in which another person
. was supposed to sit on the young man's
. chest or abdomen to determine whether
or not the poor guy's neck was strong
· enough to survive attempting a bridge.
Fortunately, the good old survival instinct
· kicked in for most young men, and they
· weren't dumb enough to even try the
• bridge test. Not surprisingly, Dave couldn't
• pass a single "test," but hardly anyone else
could for that matter.
•
Feeling devastated by his lack of manly
strength, Dave sent away for the American
 Body Building Course. What he received showed a nicely built, muscular man
was a recycled George F. Jowett Fulcrum with his arms crossed precisely as
Dumbbell and Barbell Course from the • Charles Atlas had in so many of the Atlas
1940s, which was filled with very poorly ads. Mr. Marvel had a big smile and even
retouched photos and strong admonitions • wore a leopard print swimsuit similar to
to work hard . Dave stuck with that course • Charles Atlas.
for about two days, then he told me it didn't
Mike Marvel dared to call his system
work (meaning, it was too much work).
"Dynaflex," which sounded and read
As usual, Dave dropped the American Body suspiciously close to "Dynamic Tension."
Building Course and marched right out • Whereas Charles Atlas promised to make
again in pursuit of another course. He had • you into a new man in "as little as 20
purchased the Universal Body Building minutes each day," Mike Marvel declared,
Course (an excellent course), "The Count "Dynaflex, the Proven 10-Minute-a-Day
Dante-Dim Mak Death Touch" Self- Method to a Healthier, He-Man-Muscled
Defense Course (that one was a real hoot), • Body ... WITHOUT STRENUOUS EXERCISE!
and many others. • WITHOUT WEIGHTS OR EQUIPMENT!
WITHOUT STRAIN TO VITAL ORGANS!"

This time Dave was certain that he had

struck pay dirt . Unfortunately, he was
• terribly disappointed when he tried the
exercises for a week and discovered how
much effort they actually required. Giving
up on it, he asked me if I wanted the
• Dynaflex Course, and I said, "Sure. Why
• not?" So I took it home and read it, and
I was amazed at what that 38-page booklet
contained. The Dynaflex Course was the
most unique variation of Isometric Con-
THE MIKE MARVEL traction I had ever seen. In fact, it wasn't
DYNAFLEX COURSE Isometric Contraction in the truest sense
Then one day Dave told me he had found of the word, as Mr. Marvel (or whoever he
an ad for "the ultimate course," which he really was) claimed it was.
had ordered. A few weeks later, he showed While every other Isometric program had
me the "Mike Marvel Dynaflex Course." participants contracting one set of muscles
Yes, you read that right. The man called against another or against an immovable
himself "Mike Marvel." In the ad, it was force or object, such as a door-jamb, Dyna-
obvious that Mike was trying to model flex offered a subtle twist. The exercises of
himself after Charles Atlas. Mike's photo . Dynaflex were conducted by placing the

218 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

muscles in positions of peak contraction they had seen many years before. In fact,
and flexing (tensing) them as hard as possi- some of the exercises were identical to
ble for a slow count of 5 seconds-that was those taught by Maxick back around 1910.
unique among Isometric programs. (Why 5
When I practiced these exercises, I noticed
seconds and not 7 to 10 seconds as all the
they enhanced my ability to powerfully
other Isometric books and courses recom- •
contract my muscles while performing
mended? I haven't the slightest idea.) While
other Isometric Contractions as well as the
a few Dynaflex exercises required minor
Dynamic Tension exercises from Charles
pieces of equipment or common household
Atlas's Course, which I would often end
objects, such as a washcloth, newspaper, or
with an Isometric Power Flex on the last
a chair, the vast majority did not require
repetition. While I didn't notice an increase
anything at all.
. in muscle size as a result of performing
The Dynaflex program included exercises these exercises (truthfully, I was already
for every body part, beginning at the neck . very well developed), I did notice a consid-
and working every muscle group right erable increase in my muscular definition.
down to the calves in sequential order. My grandfather and Uncle Wally said the
With practice, you could perform all 34 . same was true of the "Maxalding Muscle
Dynaflex contractions in about 10 min- . Control Exercises." While these exercises
utes, if you chose to do them all at once. . helped develop an exceptional level of con-
Unfortunately, unlike the Charles Atlas trol to consciously contract and relax any
Course that featured clear photos of Mr. . given muscle group at will, you wouldn't
Atlas performing each of the exercises, the develop appreciable size with this method
Dynaflex Course had no photos at all- for the same reason you could not with
only poorly executed line drawings illus- . pure Isometric Contraction alone.
trated the text. Of the 38 pages contained .
Why is this the case? As I noted previously, it
in the course, only 24 pages featured the
is because you are not dramatically enhanc-
exercises. The rest was devoted to nutri-
ing the blood supply to the working mus-
tion, personal cleanliness, secrets to
cles, and consequently you do not achieve a
attracting girls, strongman stunts, and
significant "pump" of fresh blood into those
positive thinking.
working muscles, which is essential for
Overall, this little course had some great . increased growth and shape. Nonetheless,
information, and I copied it and passed it the 34 Isometric Power Flex exercises that I
along to my uncle Milo, who also thought picked up from the Mike Marvel Course
that Dynaflex had some unique twists he were really excellent and easy to incorporate
had not seen previously. Later, when I . throughout the entire day. Whenever I had a
showed it to my grandfather and Uncle free moment during the day, I would per-
Wally, they both immediately said that it form them for 10 seconds each (I never
reminded them of the Maxalding exercises bought into the S-second contractions). In
 fact, that was one of the best things about • how it explained why long-term heavy
them. They could be done anytime and any- • weight training (either free weights or
place, because you didn't have to resist
against anything else, as was the case with
other forms of true Isometric Contraction.
So I benefited a great deal from the
Dynaflex Course. But that wasn't the last
time I saw what I refer to as Isometric Power
Flex exercises. The next time I saw them
was two years later under a different name. • the Dynaflex exercises of the Mike Marvel
YOGAMETRICS
BY DR. FRANK R. YOUNG
In 1970, for my eighteenth birthday
received a book titled Yoga for Men Only. It • Course, though the drawings were differ-
was written by a chiropractor named Frank
Rudolph Young. On the back cover of his
book, the picture of the good doctor
looked strikingly similar to Mike Marvel.
When I read the book, I noticed that many
of the exercises presented were identical to
those in the Mike Marvel Dynaflex Course.
Once again, Isometric Power Flex exercises
were being presented with another twist.
This time they were called "yogametrics,"
and instead of holding each maximum
contraction for 5 seconds as the Dynaflex
Course recommended, you were to hold
them for just 2 seconds, then perform up
to 4 repetitions of each exercise.
In addition to the exercises, there were a •
number of case histories about several men
who had used the system for both muscular
development and youthful rejuvenation. In
fact, one of the case histories that I found
very interesting was about a man who used
the method to win a bodybuilding contest. · kung fu master. The course was called "Chi
The other thing I liked about this book was
220 I ISOMETRIC POWERReVOLUTION
machines) would ultimately lead to chronic
debilitating pain and injury. I had read
much the same information in the Charles
Atlas Course when I was a kid, but reading
• about it from a chiropractor's perspective
• was faSCinating and made a lot of sense.
Another similarity between this book and
Course was that there were absolutely no
• photos in the book to show correct exercise
• positions. It only utilized crude line draw-
ings as had been true of the Mike Marvel
ent. All in all, the book had some interest-
ing and useful information, though the
exercises were certainly not part of any
other yoga system
I had seen. None-
theless, I was im-
pressed, and, as a
result, I purchased
four other Frank
Rudolph Young
titles, including
The Yogatronic Diet,
which featured an
• outstanding front
cover photo of the good doctor who was
70 years old at the time.
CHI MIND CONTROL
BY MIKE DAYTON
In the autumn of 1978, there was a new
course being promoted in martial arts maga-
zines that was written by Mike Dayton, a
Mind Control." At first glance, the title led
me to believe that this was a course about • just a few more exercises in his course.
oriental mysticism and Eastern philosophy. Although the exercises were virtually the
But nothing could be further from the same, Dayton's explanation of how to
truth. In fact, up until that time it was the implement these exercises was the big dif-
single greatest course I had read on the sub- ference. He presented these exercises in
ject of personal self-mastery in all facets of such a way that made it virtually impossi-
one's life. It was well written and covered • ble not to achieve extraordinary results
everything from nutrition, exercise, and the • throughout your entire musculature.
conservation and development of the life
But in addition to the physical benefits you
force energy (called "chi" in the oriental
were certain to receive, you also developed
martial arts training systems) to meditation,
a level of focus and concentration that
personality self-assessment, self-control,
carried over into other areas of your life and
positive thinking, and motivational psy-
allowed you to attain levels of success and
chology. It was an incredible piece of work,
self-mastery you never dreamed possible.
and it was obvious that Mr. Dayton had
In truth, this was the "The Mother Load"
worked long and hard to create the preemi-
that my friend David Cody had been look-
nent course on the subject of self-mastery.
ing for so many years before.
What surprised me was Dayton's use of
There was also one other feature to the
Isometric Power Flex exercises as the
"Chi Mind Control Course" that put it on a
foundation for lifelong strength, health, •
level far beyond its competitors of the time,
and development of the life force or "chi"
and that was the fact it was very well illus-
energy throughout the body. He did not
trated with photos of Mike Dayton demon-
call them Isometric Power Flex exercises
strating each and every exercise. And to put
as I do. In fact, Dayton called them "chi
it in Simplest terms, the man was built!
exerCises," because these exercises required
a laser-like focus between mind and muscle
in order to be effectively practiced. And •
also because these exercises did not drain
one's energy reserves at all. In fact, you'd
actually feel energized after a workout,
which meant these exercises were not
diminishing or depleting life force
but increasing and building it.
As I read through the course, I pulled out
my copy of the old Mike Marvel DynaFlex
Course and compared them side by side. I .
was amazed that the exercises were virtual-
ly identical with Mr. Dayton's, including
 MUST READ!
HOW TO PERFORM ISOMETRIC
POWER FLEX EXERCISES FOR
MAXIMUM EFFECTIVENESS
Perhaps you've glanced ahead at the .
Isometric Power Flex Exercises and are .
asking how these exercises are different
from the Classic Isometric Contractions
featured in Chapter 6. The primary differ- .
ence between the two methods is that .
Classic Isometrics are performed at three
angles within any given range of motion,
(see photos to the right) and require one
muscle group to resist another as you see
in these three ranges of the Pectoral
Contraction shown. Isometric Power Flexes,
on the other hand, are held in only one
position of peak contraction, where the
muscle is in its shortest and most contract-
ed state and flexed as hard as possible.
Isometric Power Flexes DO NOT involve .
one muscle group resisting another.
For example, study the photo of the biceps .
contraction on the next page. Notice that
the biceps is contracted to its utmost level
of contraction, and it is held in this posi- .
tion for 7 to 12 seconds while performing a •
controlled exhalation during the entire .
time of contraction exactly as you have
done in the performance of Classic
Isometric Contractions.
Bodybuilders, in fact, perform Isometric
Power Flex Exercises during their posing
routines. And as I stated previously, it is so
brutally exhausting for the bodybuilders •
that they have emergency medical per-
sonnel on hand at their contests just in

222 I ISOMETRIC POWERReVOLUTION

case someone suffers a stroke or heart Do not, under any circumstance, hold
attack while posing. No, I'm not joking! • your breath. Rather, follow the same exact
breathing protocols outlined for Classic
This should automatically raise a red flag
Isometric Contractions. As you start each
and cause you to ask, "Hey, John, if that's
Power Flex Contraction, you will slowly
the case, how can performing the exer- •
• increase tension for 3 to 4 seconds while
cises possibly be safe?" Good question:
• inhaling. Upon reaching peak contraction,
and the answer is that bodybuilders are
begin a slow but perfectly controlled exha-
flexing their muscles to the utmost (just
lation while making an f-f-f-f or s-s-s-s
sound during the entire 7 to 12 seconds
that peak contraction is being held. And at
that point, slowly release the contraction
for another 3 to 4 seconds while inhaling.
• After doing so, relax completely and
power breathe for 7 to 10 breaths and then
• begin your next contraction. The reason
• for the power breathing is because it will
highly oxygenate the blood that is being
infused into the working muscles and thus
• make it possible for you to contract your
• muscles with far greater intenSity.

• This brings up another very important

Biceps Contraction
as you will be), BUT THEY ARE HOLD-
ING THEIR BREATH when they do so.
Never Do This! Not now. Not ever. Doing
so can cause dangerous fluctuations in
blood pressure and is suicidally stupid.
Believe me, physique competitors cannot
possibly hold each position for a full 7 to
12 seconds while holding their breath
without collapsing in a matter of min-
utes as a result.
point: the power and strength to contract
your muscles with greater and greater
intensity and efficiency does not exist in
your muscles! It exists in your mind .
• Because of that, it is imperative that you
think into your muscles and perform each
contraction as powerfully as possible with
laser-like intensity. If you do, you will be
thrilled with the results. With that in
mind, let's turn the page and start "Power
Flexing," beginning with the neck.
 The Key to Perpetual Youth

POWER FLEXES
THE NEC K

NECK EXERCISE #1

Tendon FIe x o n d Stretch

A powerfully muscled neck allows you to project a strong, athletic "first impression" to
everyone you meet. Male or female, a nicely sculpted neck sets you apart. And although a
well muscled neck is critically important in many sports, there is a point at which a person's
neck can become overly developed and detract from, rather than enhance, the overall
appearance of one's physique or figure. The exercises in this section will give you a beautifully
balanced neck development that will add impressiveness to all of your features.
Do not neglect these exercises. Beyond aesthetics, the muscles of the neck are important because
the neck houses the center of your nervous system. These exercises also work to add strength
and tone to your facial muscles. Regular performance of these exercises will prevent you from
losing the shape of your face, neck, and chin due to the negative effects of gravity as you age.
In other words, these exercises will help you to look youthful at any age. So let's get to them.

224 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

NECK POWER FLEX # I: Relax. Inhale deeply for 3 to 4 seconds while you slowly
flex and stretch the tendons in your neck as hard as possible, using your lower jaw as
pictured. Hold for a s-l-o-w count of 7 to 12 seconds while exhaling and making an
f-f-f- f or 5-5-5-5 sound. Remember, you must strive to intensify the level of contraction
during the entire 7 to 12 seconds that you are exhaling on this and all Isometric Power
Flex Exercises. Upon completion, relax, power breathe, and then move on to exercise #2.
NOTE : You will be following the exact same breathing, contraction, and relaxation
protocols on exercises #2, 3, and 4.
 ISO POWER FLEXES
FOR TH E NECK

NECK EXERCISES #2-4

Nee k Power Flexes # 2 4

N EC K pow ER F LEX # 2: Slowly pull your head smoothly (no jerking) as far as you can
toward your right shoulder while looking straight ahead. Follow the same breathing, contraction,
and relaxation protocols as in exercise #1. Repeat to left side making sure that you are looking
straight ahead.
NECK POWER FLEX #3: Tilt your head back as far as you can comfortably. Follow the
same breathing, contraction, and relaxation protocols as in exercises #1 & 2. Powerfully contract
the neck muscles.
NECK POWER FLEX #4: Bend your head forward as far as you can comfortably while
flexing the muscles under your chin. You may use your hands as in the photo. Once again,
follow the same breathing, contraction, and relaxation protocols as in the previous exercises.

226 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

SIDE NECK PULL LOOKING TO HEAVEN

#4
TERRA FIRMA
 ISO POWER FLEXES
FOR THE NECK

NECK EXERCISE #S

Nose-to-Mot Bridge
(the King of Isometric Power Flexes)

NEe K POW ER FLEX # 5: While lying on your back on an exercise mat (or even abed),
slowly move into position A while inhaling for 3 to 4 seconds and then hold for a s-l-o-w
count of 7 to 12 seconds while exhaling and making an f-f-f-f or s-s-s-s sound. As you become
stronger, you will arch your back more and work toward touching your upper forehead.
Eventually, you will reach the point in both strength and flexibility to reach position B with
your nose to the mat. This is an extremely advanced exercise to be performed by athletes
and physical culturists only. While you will receive incredible benefits from holding this
contraction for just 7 to 12 seconds, longer contractions can be implemented of this specific
exercise to great benefit. I perform this exercise in the Steve Justa Aerobic Isometric" style
1/

for a minimum of 3 minutes each day.

Congratulations, you've just completed four (or five) powerful neck exercises for health, strength,
and lifelong youthfulness.

228 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

 A

POSITIONS

• ___________ . _ ._ _ _ ... __ r __ _
 Anytime Energizers

ISO POWER FLEXES

FOR THE SHOULDERS

SHOULDER EXERCISES #1-4

Deltoid Power Flexes #1 4

Powerful, beautifully sculpted shoulders project strength and youthfulness for men and
women alike. In fact, several ladies have privately e-mailed me to ask how they can develop
their shoulders. The muscles that we will focus on in this section are called the deltoids. When
properly developed, they improve your posture dramatically, and as a result you'll walk better
and look more youthful. They also make you appear taller and give you a vibrancy that
improves your appearance in anything you wear. I practice these exercises at random times
throughout the day. Although the movement is very short, I assure you the contraction can be
incredibly tense. In all there are 4 deltoid power flex contractions with arms held straight out
horizontally. ONLY THE HAND POSITIONS CHANGE.
DELTO I D POW E R FLEX ES # I -4: In a standing pOSition, raise your arms to a horizontal
position and clench your fists. While inhaling for 3 to 4 seconds, slowly press your arms as far
back and up as possible (your arms will elevate only slightly, if at all). Begin to slowly exhale as
you maintain maximum contraction of your shoulder (deltoid) muscles for a s-l-o-w count of
7 to 12 seconds while making an f-f-f-f or s-s-s-s sound. Relax and breathe deeply before starting
exercise #2 - 4. Follow the same breathing and relaxation protocols for each contraction.

230 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

 #1 #2
HANDS IN FISTS PALMS UP

#3 #4
PALM FACING BACK PALM FACING FORWARD
 These exercises will protect your
shoulders while strengthening
them from multiple angles and
help prevent injuries such as a
"torn rotator cuff, which is often
/I

experienced as a result of bench

pressing with heavy weights.

POWER FLEXES
THE SHOULDERS

SHOULDER EXERCISES #5-6

Del t o id/Trapezius Power Flexes # 5 - 6

As you will soon discover, both of these exercises hit the deltoids and trapezius muscles with
equal intensity. This is how they are done.
D ELTO I D / TRAPEZI US POWER FLEX #5 : Start in a standing position as shown with
your arms bent at the elbow, fists tightly clenched and held at shoulder height. Inhale deeply
for 3 to 4 seconds while slowly attempting to touch your elbows over your head (no jerking).
Contract as hard as possible. Begin a slow exhalation as you maintain maximum contraction of
your shoulder muscles for a s-l-o-w count of 7 to 12 seconds while making an f-f-f-f or s-s-s-s
sound. Relax and breathe deeply before moving to exercise #6.
DELTOID/TRAP EZIUS POWER FLEX #6 : With your arms hanging straight down at
your sides, slowly inhale for 3 to 4 seconds as you pull your arms and shoulders upward and
slightly back. Imagine that you are pulling your trapezius up over your ears. Upon reaching
maximum intensity, begin a slow controlled exhale for 7 to 12 seconds while making an f-f-f-f or
s-s-s-s sound. Flex as hard as possible the entire time. Relax and power breathe before moving to
the next section.

232 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

#5 A

POSITIONS

6A

ISOMETRIC POWER FLEXES I 233

 Developing and Strengthening
the Upper Back and Spine
Very Important

ISO POWER FLEXES

F OR T H E TRA P EZI U S

TRAPEZIUS EXERCISES #1-2

Trapezius Power Flexes #1 2

Well-developed upper back muscles help to hold the shoulders back, square them off, and
make them look broad. These muscles, the trapezius, lie at the base of the neck and at the
top of the shoulders as well as the upper middle of the back. With proper exercise, the
trapezius will help to prevent sagging, round shoulders. The key is to properly develop
them but not over develop them. The following exercises are perfect for this purpose. These
exercises are designed to assure a rapid response from this large muscle group with its many
muscle fibers. To assure an all-around development, we will employ 4 Isometric Power Flex
exercises to develop both the upper and lower trapezius muscles as well as the muscles lying
directly beneath them.
TRAPEZIUS POWER FLEX # I: Stand completely relaxed, with your hands clasped
together and held slightly above your waist and in front of you . Your head should be held
high, looking straight ahead, and your spine erect. Inhale deeply for 3 to 4 seconds while
slowly pulling down hard with your hands still clasped together and intensely contracting
your upper back muscles against the pull. When your muscles start to quiver, begin exhaling

234 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

 POSI T I ONS

as you start a s-l-o-w count of 7 to 12 seconds while maintaining maximum tension in

the muscles. Relax and breathe deeply before moving to exercise #2.
T RAP EZ IUS POW ER F LEX # 2: This exercise is very similar to exercise # 1 except
we grasp our hands from behind. Once again, slowly inhale for 3 to 4 seconds until you
achieve peak contraction. At that pOint, slowly exhale while making an f-f-f-f or 5-5-5-5
sound for the entire duration of 7 to 12 seconds. Relax and power breathe.
Both of these Trapezius Power Flexes can be performed anytime throughout the day. I
also recommend that you perform them in front of a mirror whenever possible so that
you can see visual proof of the muscles contracting powerfully. You will be awed at the
control you will be able to exert over these muscles.

ISOMETRIC POWER FLEXES I ?q<;

 ISO POWER FLEXES
FOR THE TRAPEZIUS

TRAPEZIUS EXERCISES #3-4

T r apezius Power Flexes #3 - 4

TRAPEZ I US POWER FLEX #3: With your arms bent at the elbow and held at shoulder
height as shown in photos 3 A & B, begin to inhale deeply for 3 to 4 seconds as you slowly
pull your elbows back and attempt to touch them together. * Pull as hard as possible and upon
reaching peak contraction begin a slow controlled exhale for 7 to 12 seconds while making an
f-f-f-f or s-s-s-s sound . Relax and power breathe.

TRAPEZIUS POWER FLEX #4 : This exercise is very similar to exercise #3 except your
arms are lowered as shown in photos 4 A & B. Once again, slowly inhale for 3 to 4 seconds while
trying to touch your elbows together* until you achieve peak contraction. At that pOint, slowly
exhale while making an f-f-f-f or s-s-s-s sound for the entire duration of 7 to 12 seconds. Relax
and power breathe. As you will note, in just a few short weeks these four trapezius contractions
add incredible results in both added strength and muscle control.
*Don't worry if you can't touch your elbows behind your back. Trust me, I can't either. The only person
I ever heard of that could was Gumby.

236 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

#3 A #3 B

POSITIONS

#4 A #4 B
 ISO POWER FLEXES
FOR THE ARM S

BICEPS EXERCISES #1-3

B i ceps Power Flexes #1 3

Think back (for some of you, way back) to when you were a kid and the only day that you
used shaving cream was on Halloween. Chances are that some other kid either challenged or
dared you to "make a muscle." Do you remember what you did?
Of course, you do. You raised your arm, bent your elbow and struck the archetypal Charles
Atlas Bodybuilding Pose that you had seen countless times in the ads found in the back of
comic books. Even then your prepubescent biceps had a nice little bulge to them, and the
message was clear: "Real Men Are Well-Armed."
Well, let's face it, you're not a kid anymore, but the message remains the same. When it comes
to having a good body, well-defined arms are high on the priority list of muscles that matter
to men. With that in mind, the following Isometric Power Flexes will allow you to negotiate
your very own "arms deal." Seriously, if you want nice arms, these exercises deliver-big time
(no pun intended). Each of the following contractions for the biceps follows the exact same
breathing and relaxation protocols. Be sure to give equal attention to both arms.

238 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTIO N

 FLEX FIST BEND FISTS FORWARD

BICEPS POWER FLEXES #1-3: Assume

the position shown in the photo. Begin tensing
your right biceps with your fist curling inward
as you slowly inhale for 3 to 4 seconds until you
achieve peak contraction. At this pOint, main-
tain the maximum intensity of the biceps con-
traction and begin a slow, controlled exhalation
for 7 to 12 seconds while making an f-f-f-f or
s-s-s-s sound (yes, it will sound like air being
released from a tire). Slowly release the contrac-
tion for 3 to 4 seconds while deeply inhaling.
Relax completely and power breathe before
repeating the exercise with your left biceps.
Following the exact same protocols for breath-
ing and relaxation, perform contractions #2 & 3.
Be sure that both arms receive equal attention.
F I STS BACK
 POWER FLEXES
TH E ARM S

BICEPS EXERCISE #4

Forward Double Biceps

Assume the position shown in the photo. Begin tensing both biceps simultaneously with your
arms in, elbows close to your body, and both wrists bent toward each other. Slowly inhale for
3 to 4 seconds while increasing tension until peak contraction is achieved. Upon achieving
peak contraction, begin a slow, controlled exhalation while making an f-f-f-f or 5-5-5-5 sound
for 7 to 12 seconds and maintaining the peak muscular contraction the entire time. Slowly
release tension while inhaling deeply. Relax completely. Power breathe for 7 to 10 repetitions
and then move to the triceps muscles.

POWER POINTS FOR ENHANCED RESULTS

• After performing each exercise, actually feel the muscle you have just worked-reach over with your
opposite hand and feel the tenseness, strength, hardness, and density of the muscle.

• Be certain to relax the muscles completely between exertions. This is key to infusing them with the
fresh highly oxygenated blood that is being delivered through your intense power breathing.

240 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

ARMS SIMULTANEOUSLY CONTRACTING IN FORWARD POSITIONS

• In time, you may wish to change all single-arm exercises and perform them simultaneously
with both arms. Do not, however, do so until you have mastered your ability to both contract
and relax each muscle at will.
• The positions given here are only guidelines. In time, I want you to experiment with new angles
and positions and to alter any and all of these exercises to best suit your own development and
muscular leverage.
• Remember to use the exact breathing protocols given because they will oxygenate your blood
and amplify your results during the relaxation between exercises. Never, under any circum-
stances, hold your breath. Doing so will diminish the effectiveness of these exercises.
• Finally, you may notice a certain level of muscular stress and tenseness in other muscles besides
those we are targeting with each exercise. This is normal and beneficial because it means that
you are recruiting other supportive muscle structures that will help you to contract with
greater strength and efficiency. For instance, many men notice this to be particularly true with
their wrists and forearms, because these muscles are usually unworked and undeveloped. That,
however, will change dramatically as a result of the Isometric Power Flexes presented here.
 ISO POWER FLEXES
FOR T H E ARM S

TRICEPS EXERCISE #1

Triceps Contraction
Thumbs Forward
Exercising your right to "bare arms" (how's that for a play on words?) can be extremely
rewarding with Isometric Power Flex exercises because the results come very quickly. You'll
notice big changes within a few weeks . But right now we need to focus on your triceps. The
biceps comprises about two-fifths of your upper arm muscle mass. That means the triceps,
when well developed, will account for the other three-fifths of your upper arm development.
Balanced development between biceps and triceps is essential to obtaining functional strength
for sports and daily life and to be aesthetically pleasing to the eye. Pay close attention to these
exercises. You will soon discover just how incredibly fast you can give yourself beautifully
developed arms-front, back, and sides.
TRICEPS POWER FLEX # I : Assume the position shown in the photo. Begin by standing
with your arms at your side, fists toward your body, and thumbs facing forward. Slowly
inhale for 3 to 4 seconds while simultaneously attempting to bend your arms backward at
the elbow, thus straightening them and powerfully contracting your triceps. Upon reaching
peak contraction, begin a slow, controlled exhalation for 7 to 12 seconds while maintaining

242 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

peak contraction of the triceps. The movement is very short, but the contraction is
incredibly intense. Slowly release tension as you slowly inhale for 3 to 4 seconds. Relax
completely. Power breathe as deeply as possible for 7 to 10 complete inhalations and
exhalations before moving to the next exercise.
NOTE: You will be using the exact same breathing contraction and relaxation
protocols for all 5 Triceps Power Flexes.
 ISO POWER FLEXES
FOR THE ARMS

TRICEPS EXERCISES #2-3

Triceps Power Flexes #2-3

TRICEPS POWER FLEX #2: Assume the position shown in the photo. Begin by standing
with your arms at your sides as in the previous exercise except that this time your fists are
clenched with palms facing forward. Try bending your arms backward at the elbow to power-
fully contract the triceps.
TRICEPS POWER FLEX #3: Assume the position shown in the photo. Begin by standing
with your arms at your side, held away from your body with your latissimus dorsi muscles
flexed (the two broad triangular muscles along the sides of your back). Your thumbs are
forward with your wrists turned under toward your body. Once again try bending your lower
arms backward at the elbows to maximally contract triceps.
NOTE: this exercise is every bit as good for strengthening and developing the latissimus
dorsi muscles of the upper back as it is for defining your triceps muscles. It's one of Dr.
Neal's favorites.

244 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

 #2
FISTS FORWARD

ARMS OUT, THUMBS FORWARD

 ISO POWER FLEXES
FOR T HE ARM S

TRICEPS EXERCISES #4-5

Triceps Power Flexes #4-5

TRICEPS POWER FLEX #4: Assume the position shown in the photo. Begin by standing
with your arms at your side, held away from your body with your latissimus dorsi muscles
flexed, fists clenched and facing forward, and wrists flexed. Bend arms backward at elbows
until peak contraction of the triceps is achieved. Once again, the latissimus dorsi muscles are
as actively engaged as are the triceps muscles, making this a superb double duty exercise.
TRICEPS POWER FLEX #5: Assume the position shown in the photo. Begin with your
arms held behind you, slightly bent at the waist. Curl your wrists back so that your fists are
facing the ceiling. Contract as powerfully as possible.
POWER POINTS FOR ENHANCED RESULTS
• In all, there are a total of 9 Isometric Power Flexes for complete biceps/triceps development. Some of
these exercises may be more beneficial to you than others. Pick those that work your muscles the
best. If you have a particular problem area, such as the biceps, I advise performing all 4 biceps con-
tractions in each workout.
• In time you may settle for just a few Isometric Power Flexes for the biceps and triceps, or you may
decide to perform all 9 exercises. The choice is yours.

246 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

ARMS OUT, FISTS FORWARD

BODY IN FORWARD POSITION

 ISO POWER FLEXES
FOR THE HANDS, WRISTS,
& FOREARMS

HANDS, WRISTS, & FOREARMS EXERCISE #1

To weI Squeeze

When I was a little kid recovering from the effects of polio, I spent nearly two years getting
around on crutches. Because of the necessity to grip the handles tightly in an Isometric fashion,
I developed such an incredible set of forearms that my friends in first and second grade
started calling me "Popeye." As you might imagine, I started watching Popeye cartoons at every
opportunity and actually forced myself to eat spinach. I wanted to be strong like him.
I even had an archenemy, the school bully, who was always kicking my crutches from under me.
Naturally, my nickname for this idiot was "Bluto." If you recall the cartoons, whenever BIuto
started pounding on Popeye, Popeye would grab a can of spinach and squeeze it so hard that the
spinach popped out and into his mouth. Then Popeye became super humanly strong like an
adrenalized berserker and proceeded to knock the stuffing out of BIuto, which is what I desperately
wanted to do to the school bully. I worked as hard as I could to pop the cans of spinach, but I
never quite succeeded. Nonetheless, it was a great Isometric exercise to just try with all my might.
Here's the pOint. Whether you enjoy racquet sports, skiing, wind surfing, martial arts, fencing,
rock climbing, bowling, or fly fishing, having strong hands, a grip of steel, and powerfully

248 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

developed forearms can payoff nicely and make all those activities far more enjoyable.
Although I can't guarantee that you'll end up with a pair of forearms like Pop eye, I can
guarantee enhanced power and sculpted forearm muscles from the following selection of
Isometric Power Flexes specifically designed for hands, wrists, and forearms. And, as you
can clearly see, Doc Eslinger is living proof.
FOR EAR M POW E R F LEX # I : Assume the position shown in the photo. Please
note that the towel should be wrapped very tightly and thick enough so that you can
make a slight fist around it. Begin by squeezing the towel as you slowly inhale for 3 to 4
seconds until a peak contraction is achieved. Upon reaching peak contraction, begin a
slow, controlled exhalation for 7 to 12 seconds while making an f-f-f-f or 5-5-5-5 sound,
maintaining the peak contraction the entire time. Slowly release tension as you inhale
for 3 to 4 seconds. Relax completely. Power breathe for 7 to 10 repetitions and repeat
with your opposite hand before moving on to the next exercise.
 ISO POWER FLEXES
FOR THE HANDS, WRISTS ,
& FOREARMS

HANDS, WRISTS, & FOREARMS EXERCISES #2-4

Forearm Power Flexes #2-4

FOREARM POWER FLEX #2: Assume the position shown in the photo. As you slowly
inhale for 3 to 4 seconds, bend your wrists backward and attempt to touch your knuckles to
the top of your forearm. As you reach peak contraction, slowly begin a controlled exhalation
for 7 to 12 seconds while trying to contract with still greater intensity for the entire time.
Slowly inhale for 3 to 4 seconds while releasing the tension. Relax completely. Power breathe
for 7 to 10 repetitions and repeat with the opposite arm.
FOREARM POWER FLEX #3: Assume the position shown in the photo. This is done by
forming a fist with your fingers first and then flexing the wrist as shown. Follow the same
breathing, contraction, and relaxation protocols as in exercise #2.
NOTE: Remember to slowly increase the intensity of the contraction in this and all the
Isometric Power Flex Exercises. Never suddenly jerk into a contraction.

250 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

 #2
WRIST FLEX BACK FOREARM POWER FLEX

FOREARM POWER FLEX #4: Assume

the position shown in the photo. Note that
your fingers and thumbs are spread as far
apart from each other as is possible and
pressing against your upper thighs. Follow
the same breathing, contraction, and relax-
ation protocols as in exercises #2 & 3.

THE SPIDER WEB

 ISO POWER FLEXES
FOR A N AWESOME CHEST

PECTORALS

Int r oduction

As I think back to my childhood, I remember seeing the old Charles Atlas ads not only in my
superhero comic books but also in my Boy's Life magazine and just about every other male-
oriented magazine in existence, including Argosy, Field & Stream, and Sports Afield. And why
not? Charles Atlas exemplified everything that was good and right in America and was living
proof of the power of the American Dream. In his ads you saw a beautifully built, healthy
and happy looking man whose physique appeared possible to achieve. Even now, more than
3S years after his death in 1972, Charles Atlas's name is still synonymous with manly
strength and fitness. That is an amazing legacy, especially when you contrast his image to
that of the bodybuilding freaks of today who are juiced up on steroids, growth hormones,
and only God knows what other chemicals.
When I was a kid, the two things that really impressed me about the Atlas ads were Mr.
Atlas's perfectly developed chest muscles and his beautifully sculpted abs that looked like
bands of muscle. (I was also always impressed by the fact that "Mac the Scrawny" became
"Mac the Mighty" after he wrote to Charles Atlas .) I'm sure that Mr. Atlas realized it too,

252 I ISOMETRIC POWERReVOLUTION

because Lesson 1 focused on creating a perfectly developed chest with exceptional lung
capacity, Lesson 2 was on nutrition, and Lessons 3 and 4 taught you how to develop abs
like Charles Atlas. Bottom line: the most eye-catching parts of his physique were the first
parts that Mr. Atlas had his students develop.
With that in mind, let's take a look at the 9 Iso Power Flex Exercises to develop and define
the pectoral muscles for a beautifully sculpted chest. Don't be surprised at how quickly
and thoroughly these exercises work, and be forewarned that your shirts and sport coats
will soon be fitting much tighter in the chest, arms, shoulders, and upper back. When
that happens, don't send me the bill for your new clothes. Sorry, but that's just one of the
desired side effects of these incredible exercises.

ISOMETRIC POWER FLEXES I ?S~

 PLEASE NOTE: this first exercise
is performed twice in each of 3
positions for a total of 6 Iso Power
Flex Contractions. The reason for
this is so that each arm occupies
both top and bottom positions.

ISO POWER FLEXES

FOR AN AWESOME CHEST

PECTORAL EXERCISES #1-6

Pectoral Power Flexes # I - 6

POSITION A (POWER FLEXES I & 2): While inhaling deeply for 3 to 4 seconds, cross
your right arm over your left arm just below your elbows and straight down in front of your
body close to your waistline. You must twist your arms so that your fists are facing each other
and your thumbs are turned downward (clockwise for your left arm and counterclockwise for
your right arm). Twist your arms as intensely as pOSSible, thereby contracting your shoulder,
arm, forearm, and especially your chest muscles. Flex as hard as possible as you slowly exhale
for 7 to 12 seconds while making an f-f-f-f or 5-5-5-5 sound. Upon completion, relax. Power
breathe for 7 to 10 breaths, and THEN REPEAT THIS SAME EXERCISE WITH THE LEFT
ARM OVER THE RIGHT. Follow the same protocols for contraction and relaxation. Power
breathe for another 7 to 10 breaths before moving to position B for contractions 3 and 4.

POSITION B (POWER FLEXES 3 & 4): Your arms are crossed exactly as in position A. This
time your arms are held straight out from your body at shoulder level. Follow the same breathing
and relaxing protocols as in position A. BE SURE TO REPEAT WITH LEFT SIDE.

POSITION C (POWER FLEXES 5 & 6): Once again, your arms are crossed exactly as in
the two preceding positions with your arms held pointing up at eye level. Follow the same

254 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

 A B

POSITIONS

breathing and relaxing protocols as in posi-

tion A & B. BE SURE TO REPEAT WITH
LEFT ARM IN TOP POSITION.

NOTE: these 6 positions create very pow-

erful and intense contractions of the pec-
toral muscles and may cause the muscles
to cramp. If that happens, simply relax the
muscle and rub gently until the cramp sub-
sides. In just a few weeks you'll be amazed
at the shape and definition of your pec-
toral muscles, particularly if you practice
these 6 contractions in combination with
the Classic Isometric Contractions for the
pectoral muscles as found in Chapter 6.
c
 ISO POWER FLEXES
FOR A N AWESOME C f-LE S T

PECTORAL EXERCISES #7-9

Pectoral Power Flexes #7-9

PECTORAL POWER FLEX #7-THE MCSWEENEY WRIST TWIST
This exercise is the starting position of a DVR (Dynamic Visualized Resistance) exercise that
was taught by the famous martial arts Master John McSweeney. It allows you to powerfully
contract both triceps and pectorals simultaneously.
With the back of your hands together as shown and your arms held straight down in front of
your body, pull down as hard and intensely as possible while inhaling for 3 to 4 seconds.
Imagine that your arms are pulling your shoulders together and over the front of your body.
Upon reaching peak contraction, begin a slow, controlled exhalation for 7 to 12 seconds while
making an f-f-f-f or s-s-s-s sound-contracting as powerfully as possible the entire time. Relax
and power breathe for 7 to 10 breaths before moving to contraction #8.
PECTORAL POWER FLEX #8-FOR THE SERRATUS MAGNUS OR RIB BOX
Assume the position shown with your shoulders back and down. Your hands are flat and open on
your abdomen. While inhaling for 3 to 4 seconds, expand your rib cage as far as possible, attempt-
ing to push out the air and spread your rib cage. Upon reaching peak contraction, begin a slow,
perfectly controlled exhalation for 7 to 12 seconds while making an f-f-f-f or s-s-s-s sound-trying
to maintain the flexion of your rib cage to its maximum. Relax and power breathe.

256 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

 CONTRACTIONS

PECTORAL POWER FLEX #9-(NO PHOTO SHOWN OR NECESSARY)

I learned this exercise from the original Charles Atlas Course and have been practicing it
since I was 10 years old. Though it is very simple and can be done anytime during the day,
it yields great results and enhanced muscle control.
While standing erect with your hands hanging normally at your sides, inhale for 3 to 4
seconds while bearing down the shoulders and arms at the same time, thereby contracting
the chest muscles as powerfully as possible. Upon reaching peak contraction, begin to slowly
exhale for 7 to 12 seconds while making an f-f-f-f or 5-5-5-5 sound. Relax and power breathe.
So there you have it, 9 powerful contractions that will shape and enhance the strength of
your pectoral muscles in the most direct manner possible. In addition, you may perform the
Classic Isometric Contractions from Chapter 6 to achieve the best, most enhanced results.
One other exercise you may wish to add to your chest building program is the Atlas Push-up
Variation #1, which is found on page 97. This exercise was number one in the world famous
Charles Atlas Dynamic Tension Bodybuilding Course and was foundational, because of the
incredible blood volume that it pumps into the muscles. Believe me, you'll know what the
word pump means after you've done a few sets of it.

ISOMETRIC POWER FLEXES I 257

 ISO POWER FLEXES
FOR THE LATISSIMUS
DORSI MUSCLES

LATS EXERCISE #1

Latissimus Dorsi Flex #1

Back in the history section, I shared with you the page from Victor Hugo's Les MiserabLes that told
how Jean Valjean had used a mysterious system of "statics" to develop his incredible strength and
physique. Well, the story didn't end there. As a result of his incredible development due to his
daily bouts with "Static Isometric Contraction," Valjean had a perfect "V" shaped back. It was so
perfect that Inspector Javert could pick him out in a crowd. So, the bottom line is that I will
now show you a mysterious system of 3 statics that are guaranteed to develop awesome "lats,"
and if Javert comes after you, don't blame me.
LATISSIMUS POWER FLEX #1: Position a book just above the top of your knee as shown.
Inhale deeply for 3 to 4 seconds while pulling down and contracting your latissimus dorsi
muscles as powerfully as possible. Upon reaching peak contraction, begin a slow, controlled
exhalation for 7 to 12 seconds while making an f-f-f-f or s-s-s-s sound. Upon completion, relax
and power breathe for 7 to 10 breaths.
This is my favorite Latissimus Power Flex exercise. It yields excellent results.

258 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

 POWER FLEXES
FOR T H E L ATISSIMUS
DO R S I MU SC L ES

LATS EXERCISES #2-3

Latissimus D 0 r s i Flexes #2-3

LAT ISS 1M U S pow ER FLEX #2: Using the back of a chair, reach out and grasp the top of
it. Keep your back as straight as possible and keep your shoulders stationary as you inhale for 3
to 4 seconds while tensing your back muscles as powerfully as possible. Upon reaching peak
contraction, begin a slow, controlled exhalation for 7 to 12 seconds while making an f-f-f-f or
s-s-s-s sound. Upon completion, relax and power breathe for 7 to 10 breaths before moving to
contraction #3.
LATISSIMUS POWER FLEX #3: Standing in front ofa mirror, flex you lats out as far as
possible while deeply inhaling for 3 to 4 seconds. Watch the muscles closely, and upon reaching
peak contraction, begin a slow, controlled exhalation for 7 to 12 seconds while making an f-f-f-f
or s-s-s-s sound. Upon completion, relax and power breathe for 7 to 10 breaths before moving to
the next section.

260 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

 # 2

POSITIONS
 liThe abdomen is the reason why

man does not easily take himself

for a god. " -Friedrich Nietzsche

ISO POWER FLEXES

FOR THE ABDOM L N l,S

ABS EXERCISE #1

Abdominal Contraction #1

Let's be real. No muscle group has received as much attention from the general public in the
last few years as has the abdominals. In fact, if you turn on the television and start channel
surfing, I can almost guarantee you will find one or more infomercials trying to sell you the
latest ab gizmo . But the truth is you don't need any of them . If you perform Isometric
Contraction of the abdominal muscles multiple times throughout the day, you will do far
more for your abs and waistline than any ab gizmo could ever accomplish. How so? Because
with Isometric Power Flex Contraction you are exercising the abdominal muscle structure in
the most direct way possible; whereas, if you are using any ab gizmo, you'll be working against
"it" rather than focusing your attention on the contraction of the abdominal muscles them-
selves. As a result, you'll be spending money you don't need to spend and still not get the
results you want and can easily achieve by learning how to contract your abdominal muscles
directly the Iso Power Flex way.
And by the way, no amount of exercise will give you beautifully sculpted abdominals if they
are hidden under a layer of fat. To get rid of that layer of fat, follow the nutritional suggestions

262 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

ABS POWER FLEX # I: At any time
throughout your day, while either sitting or
standing, simply inhale for 3 to 4 seconds
while trying to touch the front abdominal
muscles to the spine (at least that's how it
feels). While maintaining the contraction,
slowly exhale for 7 to 12 seconds while making
an f-f-f-f or 5-5-5-5 sound. Upon completion,
relax and power breathe for 7 to 10 breaths.
This exercise can be repeated throughout the
day with fantastic results. So now you have
no reason to ever have a bulging gut-not
now ... not ever.

outlined earlier and add 20 minutes of daily

aerobic/cardio exercise to burn calories and
increase your basal metabolic rate.
So let's get to the 5 abdominal Iso Power
Flexes. The last 4 are done in sequence, and
#1 can be done anytime throughout the day
to flatten the abdomen to an amazing extent.
 ISO POWER FLEXES
FOR T H E ABDOMJNA S

ABS EXERCISES #2-5

Abdominal Contractions #2 - 5

ABS POWER FLEXES #2 - 5: Study the photos and note the 4 positions. Starting with
position A, you complete each position following the exact same contraction and relaxation
protocols.
Inhale deeply for 3 to 4 seconds while bending slightly forward with your hands on your thighs
and flexing your abdominals downward as powerfully as possible into a peak contraction.
Slowly exhale for 7 to 12 seconds while making an f-f-f-f or 5-5 -5-5 sound. Upon completion,
relax and power breathe for 7 to 10 breaths.
Continue with positions B, C, and D.
Although you can perform multiple repetitions of each position throughout the day, only one
is necessary to achieve excellent results.

264 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

A B

POSITIONS

c o

ISOMETRIC POWER FLEXES I 265

 ISO POWER FLEXES
FOR POWERFUL HIPS
AND BUTTOCKS

HIPS & BUTTOCKS EXERCISE #1

Hips & Buttocks FIe x

Powerful hips and buttocks mean a great deal to your athletic performance, because they
are used extensively in running and jumping. Whether you enjoy sprinting, long distance
running, volleyball, basketball, football, martial arts, or any other sport, you need strong
hips and buttocks, because this region is the source of power in the beginning of all lower
body motion.
While all lower body Iso Power Flexes work this region to some extent, the following exercise
focuses directly on these important muscles.
HIPS & BUTTOCKS FLEX: While holding the backofa chairforbalance, stand on your
toes and lean slightly forward. Begin to inhale deeply for 3 to 4 seconds as you powerfully
contract the muscles of your hips and buttocks. Upon reaching peak contraction, begin a
slow controlled exhalation for 7 to 12 seconds while making an f-f-f-f or 5-5-5-5 sound and
maintaining the contraction as intensely as possible. Upon completion, relax. Power breathe
for 7 to 10 breaths, and move to Iso Power Flex for the Thighs.

266 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

ISOMETRIC POWER FlEXES I 267
 ISO POWER FLEXES
FOR STRONG SHAPELY
THIGHS AND CALVES

THIGH EXERCISES #1-2

Thig h Power Flexes # I - 2

This section will complete your Iso Power Flex Exercises for the specific muscle groups. We have
covered your entire body. This section will explain how to develop your thighs and calves.
As with the other exercises you have already learned, these exercises call upon the muscle
structure of other parts of the body that come into play. For instance, you will also be working
the muscles of your feet in these exercises. For anyone who wants strong, beautifully shaped
thighs and calves, these exercises deliver and carry none of the risks of spinal compression or
knee injury that would be caused by the use of heavy weights to accomplish the same goal.
For that reason alone, Iso Power Flex is vastly superior for safe, lifelong development of the
thighs and calves.

268 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

 THE CRANE THE SWAN

TH I G H POWER FLEX # I: Stand with your legs together. While inhaling deeply for
3 to 4 seconds, slowly lift your heel while bending the knee toward your right buttock and
flex your thigh biceps as powerfully as possible. Upon reaching peak contraction, hold for
7 to 12 seconds while making an f-f-f-f or 5-5-5-5 sound and maintaining the contraction as
intensely as possible. Upon completion, relax. Power breathe for 7 to 10 breaths, and
repeat with left leg.
THIGH POWER FLEX #2: Stand with your legs together. While inhaling deeply
for 3 to 4 seconds, slowly lift your right leg away from your body while slightly bending
at the knee. Pull the entire leg back and up and tense as powerfully as possible (yes, you
will need to lean forward). Upon reaching peak contraction, begin a slow, controlled
exhalation for 7 to 12 seconds while making an f-f-f-f or 5-5-5-5 sound and maintaining
the maximum contraction the entire time. Upon completion, relax. Power breathe for 7
to 10 breaths, and repeat with left leg.

ISOMETRIC POWER FLEXES I 269

 ISO POWER FLEXES
FOR STRONG, SHAPELY
TH I G H S AN D CA L VES

THIGH EXERCISES #3-5

Th ig h Power Flexes #3-5

The next 3 Iso Power Flex Contractions are performed one leg at a time in 3 positions. The
breathing, contraction, and relaxation protocols are the same for each position. Only the foot
position changes.
Each exercise begins with a deep inhalation for 3 to 4 seconds while powerfully contracting the
muscles. Hold at peak contraction for 7 to 12 seconds while making an f-f-f-f or 5-5-5-5 sound
and maintaining the maximum contraction the entire time. Upon completion, relax. Power
breathe for 7 to 10 breaths, and then perform the same contraction with the opposite foot.
T H I G H POW E R FLEX # 3: Your toes are raised straight ahead; your heel is on the floor,
and your knees are locked.
THIGH POWER FLEX #4: With your leg slightly in front of your body, twist your
foot to the left and raise your toes as high as possible while keeping your heel down and
knee locked.

270 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

 # 3 # 4

POSITIONS

THIGH POWER FLEX #5 : With your

leg slightly in front of your body, twist
your foot to the right and raise your toes
as high as possible. Keep your heel on the
ground, knee locked, and flex as power-
fully as possible following the correct
breathing and relaxation protocols.

# 5

ISOMETRIC POWER REXES I 271

 ISO POWER FLEXES
FOR STRONG, S H APELY
THI GHS AND CALVES

CALF EXERCISES #1-3

Col f Power Flexes #1 3

There are 5 separate contractions for the calves. Once again, only the positions change. The
breathing, contraction, and relaxation protocols are identical for each.
Each exercise begins with a deep inhalation for 3 to 4 seconds while powerfully contracting the
muscles. Hold at peak contraction for 7 to 12 seconds while making an f-f-f-f or 5-5-5-5 sound
and maintaining the maximum contraction the entire time. Upon completion, relax. Power
breathe for 7 to 10 breaths, and then perform the same contraction with the opposite foot.
CALF POWER FLEX # I: Stand with your right leg slightly bent at the knee, with your
heel raised as high as possible. Flex your calf muscles as hard as possible. Relax. Repeat with
your left leg.
CALF POWER FLEX #2: Stand with your right leg slightly bent at the knee, with your
toes pointing left. Raise your heel as high as possible while tensing your calf muscles as
intensely as possible. Relax. Repeat with your left leg.

272 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

 # I # 2

POSITIONS

CAL F POWER FLEX #3 : Stand with

your right leg slightly bent at the knee,
with your toes pointing right. Raise your
heel as high as possible while tensing
your calf muscles as intensely as possible.
Relax. Repeat with your left leg.

# 3

ISOMETRIC POWER FLEXES [ 273

 POWER FLEXES
FOR STRONG, SHAPELY
T H IGHS AND CALVES

CALF EXERCISES #4-5

Coif Power Flexes #4 5

CALF POWER FLEX #4: Place your right leg on a box or stool. Raise up your toes,
flexing your calf muscles as intensely as possible while lifting your heel as high as possible.
Relax. Repeat with your left leg.
NOTE: you may wish to change positions of your foot as previously. The choice is yours.
CALF POWER FLEX #5: Place your right leg on a box or stool and raise up your toes as
high as possible while your heel remains down. Flex as powerfully as possible. Relax. Repeat
with your left leg.

274 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

 # 4

POSITIONS

# 5

ISOMETRIC POWER FLEXES I 275

 MUST
HOW TO USE ISOMETRIC POWER
FLEX CONTRACTIONS TO YOUR
BEST ADVANTAGE
In Chapter 7, we featured 100 Classic
Isometric Contractions that would
strengthen and sculpt all of your body's • ing" and flexing his muscles as power-
muscle groups on both sides of the
body from your neck to your toes at
multiple angles for maximal muscular
strength and development.
Having gone through Chapter 8, you
have learned an additional S6 Isometric
Power Flex Contractions that rely solely
on contracting your muscles as powerfully
as possible at their greatest angle of pull "
II
or contraction. Both methods yield
extraordinary results and can be used
either separately or blended together in
any combination you desire.
If, for instance, you choose to use • equipment can possibly work a muscle the
Isometric Power Flexes separately, you will
be flexing your muscles to their maximum
limit and assuming postures that are in
some instances very close to those
assumed by professional bodybuilders in
their posing routines. The results that can
be achieved with this method are nothing
less than sensational.
276 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION
READ!
In fact, famed bodybuilder Arnold
Schwarzenegger stated in his book The
Education of a Bodybuilder that for several
weeks before a contest he didn't lift
weights at all. Rather, he practiced "pOS-
fully as possible in fronLof. a mirror .to
bring out maximum muscular separa-
tion and definition and to shed all traces
of body fat. That, my friend, is Isometric
Power Flexing just as you have learned
in this chapter, and you can accomplish
the same objective by mastering these
S6 featured Isometric Power Flexes.
So why is it that these Isometric Power
Flexes have such a powerful effect?
Because these exercises don't just stretch
your muscles. They literally infuse blood
into those unused fibers deep in the center
of your muscles. Believe me, no gym
way your mind can. Plus, these exercises
protect your joints, tendons, and liga-
ments and cause no spinal compression of
any kind. That means they are the perfect
anti-aging exercises for a lifetime of
health, strength, and youthful vitality.
Practice them daily, and you'll not only
add years to your life but life to your years.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
My appreciation to my friend and director Our Bronze Bow forum members, who lit-
of literary development for Bronze Bow erally prove each day the truth of "One
Publishing, Lance Wubbels, and my friend • for Alt All for One, and for being exam-
II

and chief designer, Gregory Rohm, for their pIes to the world.
consistent support, encouragement, feed-
back, and faith. They, along with my friends To Gordan Anderson, physical culture his-
and business partners, Dave Koechel and torian, for his friendship and mentorship.
Duff Smith, have taught me that "No one is I'm truly grateful.
smarter than all of us together.
II
To Roger Fillary and Gil Waldron in grateful
SPECIAL THANKS TO: appreciation for all their generous contribu-
tions to physical culture and especially for
My Wife, Denise, for her love, undying
the website, www.sandowplus.co.uk.
support, and belief in me. For being mine
and for constantly reviewing unpolished To my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, for
drafts of this manuscript. saving me and bringing me opportunities
My photographer, Tom Henry, for using beyond my dreams.
his incredible artistic gifts on my behalf. And, finally, my deepest thanks to all my
You're incredible, Tom. past teachers, students, and other sources
Dr. Neal Eslinger, for proving firsthand • of inspiration, who are too numerous to
the power of the methods we teach, and name, but who are now a part of me.
for the superb job of modeling the various
Thanks to all of you.
Isometric Power Flex Exercises. Thanks, •
Doc. I love you big time. • John E. Peterson

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I 277
 testimonial #1

From: Joris Schlotz, The Netherlands

I'm 30 years old and live in the Netherlands. I worked out with weights since I was
22, but a year ago I had to give up training because of a shoulder and back injury
I sustained during training. In May 2006, I came across John Peterson's Pushing
YourseLf to Power and began practicing the Transformetrics™ techniques diligently
(with some skepticism at first). To my delight, I noticed a definite increase in muscle
mass after having been on the system for a mere three weeks!
However, it wasn't until a few days ago that I really became a convert. Some of my
friends invited me to join them for a workout in the gym. To my absolute astonish-
ment, I was not only able to bench press and lift the same weights I had used when
I was in my weight training prime, I could even crank it up a notch and train with
weights that had been beyond my limit. My friends were shocked as well. Until that
moment they had never taken my "weight free" workout seriously.
I was a little worried that I had pushed it a bit too far in the gym, but I didn't experience
any muscle ache or soreness. I am truly amazed by what the Transformetrics™ system has
done for me. In only 4 to 5 months I reached a level of fitness that 7 years of weight train-
ing couldn't deliver. My only regret is that I didn't discover Transformetrics™ sooner.

testimonial #2

From: Reverend Barry Hobson, United Kingdom

I am 49 years old, and before I adopted John's training methods I lifted weights for
many years. I had tried every workout system under the sun, but in reality my health
and physique were in decline. I suffered from a variety of muscle/tendon problems,
which were exacerbated by years of macho weight training.
Since I discovered Transformetrics™, I have been rejuvenated. I even have myoid
drive back to believe that I can achieve new things. For example, I now train almost
every day and feel I am in control of my training and am not stuck on some preordained
weight that I have to lift no matter what. The evidence for this is that since I have been
practiCing this protocol I have gained in both size and strength. In fact, I feel a bit silly.
What is a 49-year-old man doing believing he can set new strength and health targets he
failed to achieve when he was younger? Truth is, this stuff simply WORKS.

278 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

 testimonial #3

From: Edward Yah, Republic of Singapore

I started exercising about a year ago and gave up almost immediately. As a child, I was
not into sports and lived a sedentary life. Whenever I started exercising, I wondered if
I was doing the exercises correctly, how I should progress, and why I didn't see the
results I desired. All those questions added to my frustration and despair. In high
school, my physical education teacher gave up on me and said, "What good are you?
You can't even carry your own body weight!"
When I discovered Bronze Bow and the Transformetrics™ training system on the
Internet, the fact that I could do the exercises at home was appealing. I felt so awk-
ward in a gym and was concerned that people would laugh at me. I discovered that
the Transformetrics™ system was easy to learn and do. The books Pushing Yourself to
Power and The Miracle Seven were indeed a godsend. I read the books intently and told
myself the Tiger Moves were absolutely doable. For the first time I discovered the joy
of working out without feeling sore all over.
And, fortunately for me, the friendship and encouragement I found on the Bronze
Bow forum helped me keep going no matter how I felt. I started doing the Tiger
Moves every day at slightly higher tension, and within a week I mastered the basic
ability to control the muscles in my chest that I didn't even know were controllable!
That gave me great encouragement, and I continued. After the second week, I began
to see slight improvement in muscle definition all over my body, and my muscles felt
harder and tougher. I was exhilarated, and my confidence soared.
I decided it was time to overcome a power calisthenics that had always terrified and
disappointed me-the push-up! I was pleasantly surprised that after only 3 weeks of
Tiger Moves, I could complete my first 6 reps of push-ups! This reinforced the endless
possibilities that the Transformetrics™ training system offered, and I felt good about
it in every way. To say I was highly motivated was an understatement!
Last month, doing 10 reps in a set, I continued doing sets throughout the day and
accomplished 100 reps in a single day. Going from 0 to 100 push-ups per day may not be
a monumental accomplishment for many people, but it is something of a miracle for me.
Since learning the Bronze Bow principle, I have never looked back ... and now I'm
looking forward to the day when I can accomplish what John Peterson, the most impor-
tant role model in my life thus far, advocates-the ultimate Trinity of Health and Fitness.

TESTIMONIALS I 279
 testimonial #4

From: Dr. Lorenz Buswell, Switzer/and

I am a 40-year-old Swiss physidan, who started exerdsing regularly 7 years ago. I used to
run and cycle regularly and thought I was in good shape. Three years ago I started Krav
Maga, an Israeli self-defense system, but quickly realized my body was globally out of shape.
I couldn't even do a push-up, and when I tried to kick, I lost my balance and sometimes fell
over. Before this, I was proud of my ability to run for 2 hours straight, even though I had an
unreasonable amount of abdominal fat. One of the other practitioners used to make fun of
me: "What are you doing here? Look at you. You have no chest and no arms./I

With my profession and 4 children to father, I needed a system I could use at home after
10 o'dock. I surfed the Internet and ended up ordering Pushing Yourself to Power and began
creating different routines from the exercises in that book. Then I got The Miracle Seven and
started to do the Tiger Moves regularly. Recently, I bought the Trinity of Health and Fitness
DVD and did the three exerdses almost exclusively for 3 weeks with great results. This
DVD even got my lO-year-old daughter started on doing the exerdses almost every night.

For the past 3 years I have been exercising every day for at least 1 hour with the
Transformetrics™ methods, changing routines frequently. Recently, my wife said 1 was
the only man of my age without a sagging belly! I have progressed a lot in my martial
art, and my teacher has asked me what I was doing to transform my physique. The
other practitioner went from being critical to saying he would like to look like I do
now. This summer we went camping for a few days in a tent. No problem. Every
evening I did the Tiger Moves and a few other exercises outside the tent.

Your system has been a lifesaver. My energy levels are high all day. I can play with my chil-
dren and carry the smaller ones for long distances without strain. I exerdse at home every
evening in the same room as my wife. If the children need me, I am there. Before I would be
gone from the house in the evening for 2 hours at the gym. I am so pleased to have found
Transformetrics™. I don't even want to imagine what my life would be like without them.

testimonial #S

From: Mark Baldwin, Arizona, USA

John Peterson is the KING of Isometric and body weight training. My physique has
improved remarkably since I met John. Applying his vast knowledge about using
your body to achieve maximum gains in muscular size, strength, and definition, I am
in the best shape of my life ... at 38 years old!

280 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

 testimonial #6

From: Matt Gunther, New Jersey, USA

I am 42 years old and have been a consistent and disciplined practitioner of

Transformetrics™ for about a year now, and my transformation continues to evolve. The
funny thing for me is I'm lighter now than I've ever been (about 175 pounds), but I'm much
stronger and actually have better definition than when I was at 190 pounds. I can perform 10
pull-ups, which I could never do until I started using the exerdses in Pushing Yourself to Power.

The real beauty of John's program is that you can devise your own exercise program,
using it anywhere and anytime. This is great for a busy person such as me. A lot of people
ask me what exerdses I do, and I tell them about Transformetrics™. In my opinion, this
program could put a lot of health clubs out of business.

testimonial #7

From: Henry Marczak, Ontario, Canada

I first realized the benefits of calisthenics when I started Tai Chi Chuan back in 1979. I
was amazed at how strong and muscular my legs got, and since then I have exercised
regularly. I never got into bodybuilding, but I did start to use a home weights set in
1984. In 2000, I came down with pneumonia and had a huge cyst in my right lung, and
I got so weak I could barely stand up. The doc set me up with a surgeon who was going
to remove the lung, but instead I gave acupuncture a try, and it helped.
About the same time, I received the famous Charles Atlas Dynamic Tension Course.
I originally had the course in 1970, but I didn't have the diSCipline to stick with it.
This time, however, I was excited about it, and all the exercises made sense. And, yes,
I fully recovered from my lung illness.
Eventually I got copies of Pushing Yourself to Power and The Miracle Seven. These books are
great and have given me more scope to work with. In 2005, I took up Aikido, a modern
Japanese martial art, and then got a job on a building site, where I badly strained both my
arms. The only exerdses I could do were the non-apparatus methods I had been learning.
Pull-ups were impossible, and I still struggle with them but practice them often from wooden
beams at work. Push-ups were a regular drill, and I also discovered the true power of
Isometrics. Isometrics are the workingman's best friend, and doing Aikido four times a week
doesn't allow for the use of weights.

Transformetrics™ is the way. Everybody's doing it.

TESTIMONIALS I 281
 testimonial #8

From: Rob Gillson, Michigan, USA

I'm 36 years old and live in Battle Creek, Michigan. While I wasn't an elite athlete
as a youth, I participated in sports and was active with my friends. But when I went
to college and was working fulltime, my exercise time quickly diminished.
When I was 25, I enrolled in a martial arts school. That kept me busy, with learning
and practicing the movements. Still, I wanted to increase my strength, which the
martial arts alone did not help me accomplish. So, for years I played around with dif-
ferent routines and joined a couple local gyms. But the gym environment didn't help
me get into the condition I wanted. And all those hours in the gym took away from
my practice of martial arts, so I quit the gym.
I searched the Internet for "non-equipment"-based workouts and was surprised to
find many sources. But there were few that actually met my criteria for no equip-
ment. Eventually I came upon John Peterson's Pushing Yourself to Power, but I just
couldn't grasp the concept of "Dynamic Visual Resistance" at the time. I was already
experimenting with what I now refer to as "dynamic self-resistance" exercises, so I
stayed with what I knew and enjoyed.
A couple years later, I found Bronze Bow Publishing and its Internet forum. I was one
of the many forum members who preordered The Miracle Seven book. To say I was
impressed with what I received is an understatement. I immediately began practicing
the Tiger Moves, starting with one set of 10 reps of each move, because that amount
tired me out. However, the results I achieved were amazing and fast. And, what's better
is that I never experienced the typical muscle soreness I got with weights.
I soon noticed my sports jacket fit tighter, especially under the arms. And within a
few months I noticed I had to tighten my belt another notch, as my waistline was
decreasing. I attribute this to my performance of the" Abdominal Contraction."
Recently, I traveled out of town for a conference. It's the first time I've ever been able to
work out when I wasn't home.
I have a desk job, so finding a system of exercises I can do anytime, anywhere has
definitely been a blessing. Whenever I hear someone talk about wanting to start work-
ing out, I mention Bronze Bow and its many publications. I don't see how a person
can go wrong there. Now, the only resistance workout I do is Transformetrics™-based.
I thank God and John Peterson for the development of Transformetrics™. My only
regret is that I didn't find this system earlier.

282 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

 testimonial #9

From: Cliff Arceneaux, Alabama, U S A

I am a 32-year-old physician assistant, who lifted weights on and off for many years.
I did whatever the muscle magazines told me to do. I found some personal identity in
lifting heavy amounts of iron to the awe of others. Then I herniated two lumbar discs
in my back, my shoulder had its days of pain, and a torn tendon in my knee would be
aggravated with squats. Then I tore a ligament in my wrist when the weight wobbled
while I was benching with two 90-pound dumbbells.
During the summer 200S, budget cuts forced me to dump my cherished but only used
once-a-week gym membership. So I started playing around with body weight exercises
and tried some books and programs that I didn't like. I saw Pushing Yourself to Power on
Amazon.com and read some good reviews . My wife liked the fact that the book was
cheaper than a kettlebell, so with a hefty amount of skepticism and hope we bought it.
After one workout, I was sold. I was amazed that I could get a great workout at home
without equipment and achieve the same "pump" I got from weights. These workouts
require a new kind of strength, a tougher one than I used in lifting iron. It requires a
focus and intensity I had not used in my previous training. After only 2 weeks of using
the Transformetrics™ workout, my wife commented, "Your muscles look bigger."
I've been working out consistently for a year now, which is something of a personal
record by itself. Usually I would have hurt myself by now and had to recover or just
gotten too bored. My shoulder and wrist feel great, and the torn patellar tendon in my
knee is no longer a problem. The Transformetrics™ system is built to heal and prevent
injuries, promoting consistency. And consistency is the real difference between a good
training system and a great one.
I look better, feel better, and am stronger than ever. I recently tested my strength at
the gym and was thrilled with the results. I have increased in strength, not just main-
tained. For instance, having been st uck just barely benching my body weight, I can
now bench well over that for solid reps with no problems. Whoo-hoo!
I am thankful to John Peterson and the Bronze Bow forum members for continuing
to teach me that "You Are Your Own Gym ."

TESTIMONIALS I 283
 testimonial #10

From: Lou Delpho, Florido, USA

I am 58 years old and fortunate to be alive. I have degenerative joint disease from
head to toe, which probably started years ago when I was almost killed by a drunk
driver who hit my car head-on. My family doctor worked on me in the emergency
room that night and couldn't recognize me because my face was so messed up.
Besides numerous other injuries, I lost the sight in my left eye due to the accident. A
later car accident, where I was hit by a car going 100 miles an hour, gave me a frac-
tured sternum and dislocated thumbs. In all, I've had 52 surgeries, including 2 cervi-
cal fusions, tendons and ligaments stapled to my shoulder to prevent dislocation, a
collarbone cut out due to injury, surgery on my lower back for a herniated L-4 disc,
and numerous other fusions.
Last year my daughter had to rush me to the emergency room because I had an
abscess on my intestines that burst, and I had to have a foot of my intestine removed. I
had complications from that surgery and couldn't work for 7 months. My weight shot
up to 188 pounds, and I'm only 5'1". That extra weight made my joint pain worse. I
couldn't walk across the room without having chest pain, and my pulse would shoot
up to 132 or higher. I felt as though I was going to pass out. My doctor wanted me in
the hospital for fear of a possible heart attack or stroke, but I couldn't afford it. I'm on
disability income and work 15 hours a week at a video store for minimum wage.
I was desperate and scared. I decided one day to try to speak with John Peterson. I told
him what was going on, and he listened patiently and then told me something that
changed my life. He said that despite my joint pain, I could still do Isometrics. After I
hung up, I had a choice to make-either continue on as I was or I could try to do some-
thing about it. I decided to take John's advice and set out to get better. I found a way to
modify my body weight exercises to lessen the pain, did The Miracle Seven exercises, and
focused on Isometrics. After 3 months I had lost 32 pounds and looked as good as I did
when I was in my twenties! My customers at the video store all ask me what in the world
I did to change. I tell them about Pushing Yourself to Power and The Miracle Seven plus
Isometrics!
The point is that if these methods can produce results in a busted up 57-year-old man
like me, just think of the results it can have if you're healthy. One phone call changed
my life, and I am living proof that John Peterson's methods can change your life as well.

284 I ISOMETRIC POWER ReVOLUTION

 AT BRONZE BOW PUBLISHING WE ARE COMMITTED
to helping you achieve your ultimate potential
in functional athletic strength, fitness, natural
muscular development, and all-around superb
health and youthfulness.

ur books, videos, newslet- Now, as always, the difference

O ters, Web sites, and training
seminars will bring you the very
latest in scientifically validated
information that has been care-
fully extracted and compiled
from leading scientific, medical,
I health, nutritional, and fitness
journals worldwide.
l our goal is to empower you!
To arm you with the best possi-
ble knowledge in all facets of
strength and personal develop-
ment so that you can make the
I right choices that are appropriate
for you.
FOR INFORMATION ON ALL OUR EXCITING NEW SPORTS AND FITNESS PRODUCTS, CONTACT:
between greatness and medi-
ocrity begins with a choice. It
is said that knowledge is power.
But that statement is a half truth.
Knowledge is power only when
it has been tested, proven, and
applied to your life. At that point I
knowledge becomes wisdom, and
in wisdom there truly is power. The I
power to help you choose wisely
So join us as we bring you the
finest in health-building informa-
tion and natural strength-training
I strategies to help you reach your
ultimate potential.

BRONZE BOW PUBLISHING WEB SITES

2600 East 26th Street www.bronzebowpubl ish ing.com
Minneapolis , MN 55406 www.transformetrics.com

612.724.8200 Toll Free 866.724.8200 FAX 612.724.8995

 From OHN PETERSON
ANYTIME. ANYWHERE. TOTAL STRENGTH
& FITNESS FOR MEN & WOMEN.
Imagine a complete strength and fitness program that slims, shapes,
and sculpts your entire body in just 20 minutes a day. A program you
can do anytime and virtually anywhere. A program so complete it
requires no gym and no exercise equipment. Best of all, a program that
covers every muscle group from your neck to your toes and delivers vis-
ible results in as little as 3 weeks.

Using the revolutionary Transformetrics™Training System that

utilizes time-tested body sculpting techniques along with high-tension
Isometrics that literally allow you to become your own gym,
The Miracle Seven offers:

• A 20-minute per day weekly plan

that sculpts the entire body to its own
natural perfection.

• Detailed day-by-day exercise

instruction, fully illustrated with
photos that show each and every
exerCise.

• A special "speed it up" program

that accelerates fat-burning results
for those who want to see their
results yesterday.
• A comprehensive nutrition
plan that allows you to lose body
fat faster than you gained it while
providing easy to follow guide-
lines for eating healthy.

• The exhilaration that comes

from knowing that you have complete control over your body, your
life, and your destiny!

i1i! Available at www.bronzebowpublishing.com iij

 From OHN PETERSON
IF YOU'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR AN EXERCISE SYSTEM that will
give you the results you've always dreamed of having, does not
require either a gym or expensive exercise equipment, can be done
anytime and anyplace without requiring an outrageous commit-
ment of time, you're holding it in your hands.
Based solidly upon the most effective exercise systems as taught by
Earle E. Liederman and Charles Atlas during the 1920s, Pushing
Yourself to Power provides you with everything you need to know to
help your body achieve its natural, God-given strength and fitness
potential. Whether your desire is simply to slim down and shape
up, or to build your maximum all-around functional strength, ath-
letic fitness, and natural muscularity, you will find complete train-
ing strategies specifically tailored to the achievement of your per-
sonal goals.
Precisely illustrated with 100s
of clear, detailed photos show-
ing every facet of every exer-
cise, you'll never have to
guess if you're doing it right
again. You'll achieve the
stamina you've always
wanted in less time than it
requires to drive to a gym
and change into exercise
clothes. Feel what it's like
to have twice as much
energy as you ever
thought you'd have!

iii! Available at www.bronzebowpublishing.comlti

 From OHN PETERSON
THE TRANSFORMETRICS™ TRAINING SYSTEM offers the most honest,
straightforward approach to safe, lifelong strength, youthfulness,
and long-term fat loss ever created. It is founded on the premise
that there are no quick fixes , no magic diets, and nobody has a
magic wand to give people the lithe, athletic, sculpted physique
they've always dreamed of having. Three things are required: the
right balance of nutritious foods, the right strength-building, body-
sculpting exercise system, and the knowledge and commitment to
put them together.
In the 60 Day Personal Power Health & Fitness Journa~ John and
Wendie offer:

• A complete exercise program

featuring the Transformetrics™
Training System to help people
slim, strengthen, and help their
body achieve its natural, God-
given strength and fitness poten-
tial. . . without the requirement of
. .
a gym or expenSive exercise
eqUipment.

• Complete food charts that

feature protein, fat, and
carbohydrate grams as well
as calories.

• User-friendly exercise charts

to help people keep track of
their daily progress.

• And inspiring quotes,

scriptures, and more to help
them stay motivated.

It! Available at www.bronzebowpublishing.com l i